Cocorific: Season 3
by Summers-Girl
Summary: A rewrite of season 3 after Band Candy if Giles and Joyce had actually started dating instead of hiding from each other. Suck at summaries but WORTH reading. hehe. and please review! GilesJoyce obviously. hehe. Continued in Cocorific Season 4
1. Revelations

A Giles/Joyce fic.

Continues season 3 from Band Candy onwards as though Giles and Joyce had actually started seeing eachother instead of doing the avoidy thing. Season is essentially the same but with obvious tweaks. And don't worry-you don't get an entire repeat of the episode-just the parts that are important. Each chapter is going to be a different episode and the Giles/Joyce thing will progress more and more as it goes on. And if you like (and I get enough reviews. hint hint.) I will go on to do season 4 as well...

So enjoy and please feedback and review. I love to hear what all you guys reading this out there think! Thank you!

* * *

Her footsteps sounded incredibly loud. Abnormally loud. As though they were purposely increased in volume to give away her presence there. She shouldn't even be here should she? No, of course not- the idea was completely ridiculous. She could quit while she was ahead, should quit. Just go home now while she still could. After all, what if Buffy were here? Sure, she said she was just going out on patrol...but sometimes she reported back to Giles didn't she? That's what she'd said. So what if she was here now? Returned from patrol? How would she explain why she was here to her daughter? And Rupert- erm, Mr Giles- may not even be here anyway. He sometimes went on patrol with Buffy, didn't he? So that left the question of why she was here at all when there were so many negative points to it?

She knew the answer to that though. Because she hadn't stopped thinking once about what happened the previous week. Maybe that seemed a little obsessive but she couldn't help it. She remembered the feel of his warm, rough hands over her cool, bare skin as he bent her back over the car hood, pushing up her top, her skirt...There she went again. Thinking on it. In fact her mind had been on little else lately. She had been focusing on those...memories to the point of fantasy and obsession. So was that why she was here? To end the obsession? Or to venture the possibility of fantasy being turned to reality? She shook her head 'no', arguing with herself.  
So what if she had been so turned on that night it was a surprise she was able to erm...turn off...at all? So what if that weekend had carried on, and the two of them had slowly become less and less influenced by the Candy, that she found herself wishing that they could have carried on like that? With each other? So what that after they had full returned to their normal selves on Sunday, she had looked longingly at the remaining chocolate bars...wondering if they could come to some use? So what if those romance novels she'd made a habit of reading over the years started having very familiar people as the main roles?

Well, she was here now. Outside the library doors. No turning back or was there? To go in or not to go in, that was the question. She sighed. Well, they needed to talk anyway didn't they? She'd seen him twice in as many days since the Band Candy Incident. Each time it had been at the store and each time they had headed in completely opposite directions, pretending they hadn't seen one another though it was obvious they had. So they needed to talk. About what happened. To clear the air if anything. So she should just go in anyway and see what the outcome was. What was the worst that could happen anyway? Why was she so nervous anyway? She wasn't a lovesick teenager...this week...so why was she stood outside the library, switching from foot to foot nervously like a school girl wondering if the football captain was going to ask her to Prom. She took a big gulp to try and calm her nerves (It didn't work) and shoved the library door open before she could change her mind.

As soon as she stepped into the room she came to a sudden stop. She saw Mr Giles was indeed there, but he wasn't alone. And it wasn't just Buffy with him. Faith was there also and some woman Joyce didn't recognize. The group were too engrossed in conversation to even notice that Joyce had walked in.

"The fact is," The unfamiliar woman said in a clear British accent that sounding even more RP than Giles', "there is talk in the council that you have become a bit too...American"

"Him?!" Joyce couldn't help but ask incredulously at the same time as her daughter. After all, Giles couldn't be more British if he tried. Even when he reverted to his teenage self the previous week, he hadn't adopted a single Americanism. In fact, if she thought about it, he had become even more Pro-England, if in a more working class sense. At the sound of her voice though, the group were alerted to her presence and they all turned to look at her.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Buffy asked in a confusion that quickly turned to worry and concern, "Is everything okay?"

"Y-yes, it's fine," Joyce told her, "I just need a word with Mr Giles..." She said,not quite making eye contact with the man in question, but she saw in her peripheral vision that at this admittance he looked over at her in interest. "But you're clearly busy," She added, taking in the entire scene before her, "and it's erm...it's late so I'd better..." Joyce excused herself and went to leave back the way she had come.

"No wait," Giles called out, before she could exit and she stopped, trying to figure out whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, "I need to talk to you too," He told her, "Could you, ah, could just wait a few moments?" He asked and Joyce nodded calmly, though inside her nerves were shivering wrecks. She knew why she wanted to talk to him, but now she couldn't help wondering whether or not he wanted to talk about the same thing. She hoped so. Or did she? Argh, she just didn't know anymore.  
Giles gestured at a spare seat at the table everyone was gathered at and Joyce walked over to the chair, and calmly sat in it, desperately trying to cover up the fact that she was so jittery with nerves.

Then, everyone was silent.

"Ms Post?" Giles prompted, looking at the woman Joyce had never seen before. Post raised her eyebrows and in a failed attempt at subtlety threw a look Joyce's way that clearly said 'excuse me, but I don't think we can talk in front of her'. "Oh it's quite fine," Giles assured the woman, "Buffy's Mother knows all about her, uh, ah Slaying"

"What?" Ms Post was incredulous,"Mr Giles, a Slayer's identity is to be kept highly secret- not shared amongst family"

"Oh, I have friends who know too," Buffy added peppily, digging the knife purposely in and Faith smirked. Gwendolyn Post sighed.

"Very well, it's of no matter," She told him before carrying on with the conversation from before Joyce's arrival, "A demon called Lagos is coming to the Hellmouth," She gave a look of condescending Giles' way and Joyce immediately found herself taking an intense dislike to the woman, "Mr Giles, an illustration of Lagos if you please?" Post requested.

"Oh, uh," Giles fumbled around the numerous books piled on the table, in a panicked rush to find what she had asked for and he accidentally knocked one of the larger texts off the side of the table, but Joyce thankfully caught it before it hit the floor. She handed it to him with a smile. A smile that he gratefully returned.

"Perhaps later," Post smirked, clearly enjoying how uncomfortable Giles was feeling, "Now Lagos seeks the glove of Myhnegon. No record of this glove's full power exists, but we do know that it is highly dangerous and must not fall into the hands of the demon. Lagos must be stopped"

"Well what do you propose?" Giles asked, wondering whether the new Watcher had a specific plan in mind of how to defeat the demon.

"Well, if it's not too radical suggestion, I thought we might kill him" Post replied condescendingly and Buffy glanced over at her Mom for a moment just in time to see her roll her eyes dramatically and impatiently at the woman. It occurred to Buffy that Teen Mom hadn't quite yet left the building fully. Worrying, "I suggest," Post continued, oblivious to the look Joyce had thrown her, "two Slayers at full strength for a co-ordinated hunt" She looked to everyone for a response and found Buffy to be looking at Faith pointedly while Faith herself looked at Post with an even stare. No one in the room was impressed. "We believe the glove to be buried in a tomb somewhere so Lagos will be headed for the cemetery"

"There's more than one," Joyce couldn't help pointing out, just as she couldn't help enjoying adding the impracticality for Post.

"Excuse me?"

"There's more than one cemetery in Sunnydale," She explained further.

"I see," Post admitted, refusing to let the information make her falter, "Very well, how many?"

"Er, twelve within the city limits" Giles informed her and Post took a deep breath to keep her cool.

"Well, we'll just have to take them one at a time," She told them, "Anything in your books Mr Giles that might pinpoint the exact location of the tomb would be useful, but then, we cannot ask for miracles."

Giles forced himself to look away from the woman, she infuriated him so much that he felt if he continued to keep her in his line of vision he would be forced to commit a violent act he couldn't possibly held responsible for. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself down and as he did so he caught Joyce's eye. She smiled a small smile at him and he found himself automatically smiling back and he felt a odd warm sensation in his belly. Something that could only be described as a tingle feeling, definitely a good feeling and something he hadn't anywhere near felt since he had first started courting Jenny. He briefly wondered why Joyce was there at the library and what exactly it was that she wished to talk about and he truly hoped it was the same thing he did.

"We will begin tomorrow at sunset" Post announced "Faith" Faith jumped a little at her name being spoken in such a commanding tone. She looked over at Buffy who raised her eyebrows in response, showing she was helpless to help in this particularly situation. Faith was all on her own for this one "With me, please" Without waiting for an answer Post left the library and with helpless glances from Buffy, Joyce and Giles, Faith got up and followed.

"That was bracing," Giles said simply and Joyce found herself smirking.

"That's one way of putting it..."

"Interesting lady," Buffy nodded in contemplation, "Can we kill her?"

"I think the Council might frown upon that," Giles admitted with a sigh that clearly showed he wished the Council wouldn't frown on such things. It was, after all, a very appealing idea.

"Well, should we get gone?" Buffy asked her Mom as she got up out of her seat, momentarily forgetting that her Mom was in fact there to speak to Giles.

"Actually...Buffy-" Joyce struggled around for an acceptable and believable explanation but her daughter caught on before she could finish. Or rather she thought she had caught on.

"Right," Buffy nodded, "Organizing my life without me. Got ya. See you tomorrow Giles," She left the library at a care-free pace, completely clueless about the awkward atmosphere she was leaving behind.

Silence reigned for a good minute or so, before Joyce eventually found her voice again.

"Well, erm..." She started, but almost immediately faltered. Now that she was here she had absolutely no clue what to say. Not that she had any clue before- why had she even intended to say anything? The phrase 'Leave well enough alone' came to mind right about now.

"Mrs Summers," Giles said, attempting to take charge of the conversation, bring direction to it. Kick start the discussion they both wished to have.

"Joyce," She automatically corrected him and he nodded in acknowledgment.

"Right. Joyce." He said her name, as though reaffirming it and testing it on his tongue, "Well, then you must call be Rupert" He told her and she smiled, if a little weakly. damn nerves.

"I feel we need to talk about...about happened," Joyce started, feeling more and more nervous with each word she spoke. She just prayed to god her cheeks weren't going red, revealing her nerves to anyone who glanced at her.

"Yes, quite," Giles agreed, "You see-" He began, but in her anxiousness to get it over with, Joyce started to speak over him until he was forced to stop talking himself and listen to her.

"I just think it's stupid of us, a-and immature and also, well, it's impractical to keep avoiding one another like we have been doing" She told him and Giles sighed.

"Ah yes," He agreed half-heartedly, attempting to hide the fact that inside he felt a little saddened. Okay, maybe a lot saddened. After all, she hadn't come to talk to him about a possibility of what the kids referred to as an 'us' or anything at all like that...she just wanted to move on. Marvelous. Move on. La-di-dah.

"I mean we're both adults," Joyce was still talking, slowly revealing to Giles where Buffy had inherited the ability to talk or babble as it were, so much, "not teenagers...so we should be able to deal with this like adults and face up to what we know and-" Joyce broke off as she realized what words she had been about to say, but she stopped herself just in time before she said 'and what we feel'. She felt her cheeks get warm and she knew she was blushing and really hoped he didn't notice.

"You're right," Giles agreed and began to say what he knew she wanted to hear, was probably for the best to say, but wasn't what he was genuinely thinking, "I'm sorry about what happened-"

"Sorry?" Joyce asked, obviously offended by the word, "Oh"

"Why? What? What's the matter?"

"Well of course you'd feel that way. It was stupid thing we did and-" Joyce started to babble again but Giles cut in.

"Wait a moment, are you saying you're not sorry it happened?" He asked her, confused but also with hopes rising.

"Well, I don't think sorry is quite the word..." Joyce reasoned with a slight embarrassed shrug, "That implies regret and...I don't think 'regret' is really how I feel...but..."

"I wasn't trying to say I regretted it...well, I do but not for what happened so much as, rather well...how it happened, but," He sighed, praying that she was on the same wavelength as him and that he wasn't making a fool of himself for nothing, "What I'm trying to say, Joyce, is that..."

"What...is it you're trying to say?" She asked him, looking directly at him. He looked up from gazing self-consciously at the library floor and caught her eyes completely and he instantly felt ridiculously nervous. Her brown eyes were...searching...but warm and...he shook his head as if to clear it.

"What I am trying to say...is well, I know we haven't always seen things the same way, over the years. I could say that it's due to your, eh, your not understanding the duties of the Slayer...but in some respects maybe I never took into full consideration your role in all of this...and t-that was ah unfair...of both of us...and...bloody hell," He took off his glasses in frustration, pinching his eyes together for a second as though clearing his sight would help clear up his jumbled words. Glasses still in hand, he looked at Joyce as he started up again, "The point of the matter is...over the, the years I've come to care for you quite a bit...more than a bit actually," He confessed to her, nerves shining through clearly and as though conscious of this he put his glasses back on as if to give him something to do besides focus entirely on the situation at hand.

"Rupert, I didn't think that-" Joyce began to speak, but Giles was apparently on a role now and he carried on talking regardless.

"Well, with that and, well everything I suppose...I've been meaning to ask you...but I've just never had the uh, well...and then time has never been quite right has it? But well, ah, now that you're here I suppose now would be as good a time as any so...what I'm trying to say Joyce is-"

"Are you asking me on a date?" Joyce asked bluntly, before ducking her head shyly, "Oh I'm sorry," She apologized, "I'm not usually so blunt. I think I'm...maybe it's nerves or something...but I'm sorry"

Giles wondered whether unpredictable bluntness followed by immediate embarrassment was meant to be so very endearing and attractive in a person. "Well, y-yes," He finally admitted, "Actually that was the ah, general point of it all yes. A date. That I should like to ask you out on one..." He braced himself, fearing what her reply would be. Of course, she wasn't going to laugh in his face, she wasn't that type of person, but the thought of her asking why on earth he said what he did was enough to make him want to retreat to his small office now. Instead though, he found Joyce smiling at him in answer to his question.

"Then...I should like to say 'yes'," She replied, a small, slightly-nervous smile playing at her lips and she glanced briefly downwards at the floor. It was only a moment though before she looked back up and saw Giles was smiling back at her now.

* * *

"Ugh," Willow groaned as she and Xander researched in the library late on into the night, "It's late and I'm tired, what does he want from us anyway?" She and Xander headed further into the library stacks. 

"The number of a qualified surgeon to remove the British flag from his butt?" Xander quipped in reply, but because he was still a little off after Giles' snapping at him that the quip came out more nasty-sounding than he actually intended. The two stopped as they came to the shelf of books they had been assigned to almost all night and there was evidence of them being there for so long- along with books splayed everywhere on the floor there were also numerous food wrappers. The two slid down to the floor, resuming their seats among the debris.

"My eyes are all blurry," Willow complained. And her head hurt. She rubbed her temples to try and ease the coming headache and hoped she wasn't inheriting her Mom's migraines. Then, Xander eased over and started rubbing her temples soothingly and she sighed in pleasure.  
"Stop" she told him but her heart just wasn't in it.

"Right. Stop now." Xander echoed, but carried on massaging her temples, "And no means no so…erm, stop" He dropped his hands to his side. He picked up a random book to begin research again, determined to distract himself from Willow when she grabbed the sides of his face and planted a hard kiss on the lips. Xander soon responded and put his hands around her to pull her closer to him and they kissed passionately. Knowing they shouldn't, but somehow not really caring.

Suddenly they heard footsteps and the two jumped apart to see Giles stood there.

"Willow, Xander…" He said and the two in question quickly jumped to their feet trying to cover up that anything had been going on. However, Giles was so engrossed in a book he was carrying the two doubted he had noticed anything at all. "You can stop your, uh, studying. I've got what I need"

"What have you got?" Xander asked playing it cool and playing an interest to cover up for what he and Willow had recently gotten an interest in.

"Uh, the probable location of the glove of Myhnegon" He told them, "It's housed in the Von Hauptman Family Crypt."

"Down at Restfield cemetery. I know where that is" Xander admitted as book guy once again came up with the knowledge.

"That's erm great Giles," Willow told the watcher enthusiastically, "How did you find it?"

"I looked" It was an honest answer but there was definitely a tone of sarcasm to it. "Now do you mind looking into this, or at least finding Buffy to tell her?" Giles asked.

"You're not going yourself?" Xander asked.

"No, erm, I've got somewhere to be" Giles told them, not wishing to disclose any other information.

"Post woman on your back huh?" Willow asked, having heard a lot of information on the woman from Buffy.

"Something like that" Giles replied before wandering off and Willow and Xander looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

* * *

Joyce looked around at the restaurant she was waiting in, losing herself in her thoughts as she did so. Glancing at her, one might have presumed she was admiring the design and architecture of the restaurant, and even though it was lovely, it wasn't quite what she was thinking about. What she was actually thinking about was whether she should just leave now, before things got embarrassing. 

They had agreed to a date. Why? And why in a dinner-for-two restaurant where there was no escape from the other in awkward situations? Oh god, why did they do it? Sure, they were attractive to each other, well she definitely found him the 'very' side of hot for want of a better term, but was that really enough? Yes, they couldn't hide they liked each other in that way anymore as their teenage hormones had given that much away but...but that was all wasn't it? Just because you were attracted to someone didn't mean you would get along with them or be able to start a relationship with them. He was Buffy's Watcher and she was Buffy's Mom who hated everything a Watcher stood for. So there was one thing they didn't agree on and...what about if their political beliefs were different? And they started arguing outrageously at the table? Or what if-

"Joyce?"

"Oh!" Joyce turned to see Giles had arrived, having been led to the table by a waiter, "Hi...Rupert. I'm sorry, I didn't see you arrive...I was just..."

"Thinking?" He filled in with a knowing smile and she nodded.

"A lot," She admitted, picking up one of the menus the waiter had placed in front of them.

"Would you like something to drink while you decide your order?" the waiter asked and the two looked at the drinks menu in almost perfect synchronization.

"Just a white wine please," Joyce requested and the waiter noted it down before turning to Giles.

"Red," Giles asked and with that, the waiter left.

"Well, our wine tastes don't match..." Joyce murmured quietly, but loud enough for him to hear.

"Not necessarily," He told her, "I'm fond of white wine...but to some extent I do believe on a date I should retain some ah...masculinity"

"And you think red is more macho?" Joyce found herself teasing.

"Considerably," He said seriously, but he was obviously teasing back. There was a moment of silence as the two looked each other, before they both realized what they were doing and they immediately picked up their menus. Joyce could yet again feel her nerves not being up to their best again and strongly wished she could control them better. Instead, she was thankful she had the intricately designed menu to focus on. Giles seemed to be doing the same.

"Well, my strong suggestion is not to have the paste," Joyce spoke up as her eyes fell on the Pasta dish list. Giles though looked over at her in confusion and she went on to explain, "It always looks so romantic in the movies but in reality-" She stopped, aware that she had used the word romantic when she wasn't quite sure she wanted romance for this. She'd been there and done that. This was two adults, getting together, enjoying one another's company...with potential benefits, but certainly not romance. Right? "Well, what I mean is...it ends up being just really messy" She smiled nervously and was relieved when he smiled back in understanding. "Spaghetti down your chin...and...well, none of it is really very flattering"  
At that Giles couldn't help but laugh at her honest humor and he swore he could literally feel the ice breaking. Not that there was any ice to begin with so much as...really cold water.

* * *

After that it became easier and easier to talk freely and the two soon found themselves not only talking but flirting openly. They spent over three ours over dinner, the conversation covering from the food, to Sunnydale in general to a more cultural variety of topics. Giles knew Joyce was an educated woman, after all she would have to be to be able to own her own gallery, but he hadn't fully expected for her to be such a delightful conversationalist when it came to the study and discussion of different cultures. Surrounded by Buffy and her friends almost twenty-four/seven, Giles rarely found anyone he could talk to about such things that were fascinating to him, but dreadfully dull to teenagers, and had, over the years, resorted to talking to himself or making very expensive long-distance phone calls. But Joyce was just as intrigued by different cultures and their histories as he and he immensely enjoyed the stimulating conversation she prompted and he couldn't help feeling he'd been missing out for three years. 

As seems to go with all dates for people over the age of twenty one, they went onto to talk about life and previous loved ones- leading on to Joyce's ex-husband in particular. Joyce confessed over the fact she felt she herself was as much to blame as he, which didn't make his leaving any easier, but when she seemed to lean to the suggestion he had cheated on her, she became uncomfortable and abruptly changed the subject. Giles, feeling the same uncomfortable feeling discussing lost loves such as Jenny, didn't prod for more information.

Eventually though, through inevitable and natural progression, the conversation turned to Buffy, which Giles was wary of talking about since he knew it would doubtlessly lead to Buffy's duties as a Slayer and therefore Joyce's intense disagreement on that front. However, Joyce had merely been pleasantly surprised when she discovered how Giles wasn't full-time Watcher and so didn't see Buffy as merely the Slayer, but also a teenage girl and had, himself, given consideration to Buffy's life beyond High School and past Slaying.

"I never considered that you may have thought about that," Joyce admitted and he shrugged ever so slightly.

"It can't be helped. I see her at school everyday, and I can't help wondering sometimes- where does she go from here? I know that she can't turn her back on being the Slayer...but I don't want it to hinder her having an education or even a career. As it has hindered mine. I don't mean to say Buffy's a hindrance," He hurried to explain, "It's just that...well, it has been very difficult for me to start other...well, relationships for example because there is always someone else that comes first in my life."

"Like a parent," Joyce murmured, looking into her glass and Giles looked at her in shock mixed with confusion at the comment, "You can keep telling yourself they're almost an adult, that after all those years of raising them you can attempt to get your own life back. And when you think you've just got it...you'll drop it in a second at the sound of a simple 'Mom, I need you'. It's something you can't fight...it's a part of you, who you are now"

Giles was thrown, taken aback, by how freely Joyce seemed to have compared his relationship with Buffy to that of her own. She had likened him to a parent and that was...well, he could think of no greater compliment to receive.

"I sometimes don't know whether it was better not knowing about the Slaying," Joyce carried on, "At least then I just thought she was a rebellious teenager and I knew how to deal with that...now, she does so many things, so many scary things...that it makes her older than she is. I sometimes feel, in the way she thinks about the bigger things in life, that she's older than me. And I don't know how to handle that..." She sighed, "So I force myself to settle for enjoying when she's home...when she's my little girl again"

"She'll always be your daughter Joyce," He told gently and sincerely, "You'll always be her Mother, the one she turns to. Nothing can change that, not even her being the Slayer"

"And her being the Slayer won't ever change either, will it?" She replied, and Giles sat up straight in his seat, stung by the remark. "Oh, I'm sorry Rupert," She replied with sincerity, "I didn't mean to...I know you don't..." She sighed, "I am grateful, you know that. For everything you do for Buffy. I'm not saying I'm happy with her 'role', very far from it in fact, but...I do sleep a little easier. Knowing you're there...looking out for her"

"Joyce..." Giles said quietly, entirely touched by her words. To have not only acceptance, but gratitude from Joyce for his role in Buffy's life was more than he could have ever hope for. "I don't know what to say..."

"Then don't," She told him, "I've said what I needed to...maybe it would be best to venture no further, hmm?"

"Well, thank you" He eventually said and she smiled.

"You're welcome," She told him as he smiled warmly back.

For a time, the two instinctively held the warm gaze, saying nothing. Eventually though, the two realized what they were doing and how intimate it actually was and they quickly broke the eye contact, looking down at their now empty dessert plates.

"Shall we ask for the check?" Giles asked.

"Y-yes," Joyce told him, all too aware of the intense gaze the two of them had just shared, "I'm ready" She told him and he signaled for the waiter to bring the bill. When it was brought to them he immediately took the bill himself despite the fact that Joyce had been reaching for her purse.

"I'll pay for this," He told her.

"But-"

"No," He interrupted her firmly with a smile as he placed the appropriate bills on the plate.

"So," Joyce said as the two stood up, collecting their things, "this has been...nice."

"Very nice," Giles agreed, but ventured no further in voicing his thoughts which was what prompted Joyce to say what she did.

"Okay, I'm going to ask this question now because if I don't we're both going to regret we didn't and that is just a way for us both to become lost and confused...and a little rejected I think...and I-I need to ask you now before I lose my nerve," Joyce babbled on and Giles had to put his full focus into concentrating on what she was saying to be able to decipher any of the words. Joyce took a deep breath as she prepared to ask her question, "What is this?"

"Pardon?" Giles asked, completely confused by the question.

"I mean what is it that we have here?" She elaborated, "I mean I'm old enough to know not to look for true love in this relationship and I know not to expect too much...at all actually, but what exactly is it? Is it a one-off date? O-or just a friendship...or are we d-dating? Or what? Because, I think I would like to know first" Checking the contents of her purse were in order suddenly became high priority and when she looked up expectantly and anxiously for an answer to find him stood directly in front of her. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her on the lips. An action that both surprised Joyce and pleased her. The kiss was warm and she embraced it fully and when he pulled away she was smiling.

"Dating I believe is the term..." He told her suavely before suddenly and unexpectedly losing his laid back, confident attitude, "Th-that is if you wish, if it's what you w-"

"It is," She told him honestly, as she hooked her through his and he led her out of the restaurant. "It is"

"Now, that's decided," Giles said, "What do we do about the others?"

"Others?" Joyce frowned in puzzlement.

"Buffy. Her friends," He elaborated, "Should they know?"

Joyce bit her lip for a moment in contemplation. It was a very complicated question…but she needed to give a simple answer.

"For now I think it'd be better for both of us...to keep it quiet" Joyce decided, "At least till _we_ know what's going on" Joyce joked as the two reached her car. The two stopped. "So I guess this is goodnight" She said and he nodded in agreement and as she put the keys in her car door the two kissed again. Joyce was beginning to really like this feeling. She didn't know whether this realization pleased her or frightened her.

"So I'll see you soon?" Giles asked as Joyce got into her car.

"Very soon" she agreed as she turned the keys in the ignition…. and the engine did nothing. She groaned in exasperation and dropped her head onto the dashboard. She hated calling emergency car services more than she hated her car not working.

"Would you, uh, like a lift?" Giles offered and she nodded silently knowing she was now going to be carless for nearly a week.

* * *

"I'm beginning to understand why Buffy always complains so much about this car," Joyce said as she and Giles drove along a quiet Sunnydalian road in his slow, slow Citroen. "I think we would have got going faster in my car..." 

"Your car had to be towed to the garage," He pointed out.

"Exactly," She retorted, prompting a smirk from both parties.

"This is a perfectly serviceable car," He told her.

"I'm sure it is...thirty years ago,"

"Very quick," He told her approvingly.

"I try," She replied with a smile, before closing her eyes with a grimace as the car made a worrying screeching sound as Giles braked to stop at the crossroads red lights. As if there for a purposely strong visual for decisions, one road led to Revello Drive, the other to Giles' house. Enjoying her time with Rupert, Joyce made a quick decision, "Can we go back to your place a bit?" She asked and Giles looked little shocked by the suggestion, "I don't mean-, what...well, it's just I don't quite want to go home yet. Home means Buffy, which means...I have to start pretending this didn't happen and I would like the night to go on a little bit longer. If that's alright? It's just it's nice to have real adult conversation about things I like for once...it's, uh...it's really lovely"

The lights turned to amber, "Of course...it's up to you," She told him. The lights turned green. Giles indicated for the road that would led to his own house.

* * *

"I don't think I've ever been here before," Joyce said as they pulled up outside Giles' apartment, "I think I've only ever seen you in the library..." 

"Don't tell me," He said to her, "You always subconsciously presumed I lived there"

"In a way..." She admitted, "So, Mister Giles is your home the warm and cosy type or is it a bachelor pad you're about to introduce me to?" She teased, something that was coming with ease now. Early on in the night, the two had been awkward with one another, unsure of what they should and shouldn't say. Now conversation flowed beautifully without pause, they were comfortable enough to tease and joke with one another and when Giles put his hand against Joyce's back to gently direct in the direction of his home, the contact no longer prompted either to jump and startle.

"You will, I am afraid, Mrs Summers, have to decide that for yourself," He told her as he put the keys in the front door to find he had in fact left it unlocked, "Thank God vampires need an invite," He half-joked. He pushed the door open, and ever the gentlemen, let Joyce through first. She went to switch on a light, but found the flat was already brightly lit and the woman from before, Post, was stood waiting there impatiently in the living room. Joyce's happy vibe left her completely and she struggled to mask a sigh as she stood there awkwardly in the room, knowing that the presence of this woman put an official end to her and Rupert's date. "I presume this isn't a casual call," Giles surmised with a sigh that almost matched Joyce's.

"It is Slayer business Mr Giles," She looked over at Joyce, "Watcher discussion"

"I suppose that's my cue to leave," Joyce smiled tightly, heading back over to the door through which she had just came, but Giles put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her going any further.

"You don't have a car," He pointed out simply and Joyce shrugged slightly.

"It's okay- Sunnydale isn't a very large town. I'll walk." She told him, but Giles didn't seem very happy about this.

"Small town with an abundance of vampires," He pointed out straight-forwardly, "I drove you here and so I will drive you home"

"Mr Giles, we really need to get to work," Post pressed annoyingly and Joyce had to resist from rolling her eyes at her again.

"Well then, Joyce stays until I can take her home," Giles told the other Watcher firmly and Joyce was about to argue the point, but the look on Post's face at this decision made it worth the stay.

* * *

Ten minutes later and the Watchers were still researching when Giles finally found the book he was looking for and Joyce leaned over for a peak. 

"Ah yes, there we are," He pointed out the relevant information on the page, "There's a wood engraving. See? The Glove of Myhnegon"

"Yes," Post agreed, sounding unimpressed, "engraved by Father Theodore of Wolsham"

"Yes"

"Based, I believe, on very sketchy and unreliable folk legends," Post informed the two, "The pictures are fun to look at Mr Giles, but one really ought to read the nice words as well"

This time Joyce really did roll her eyes. This woman was too stereotypically British for words. She was Mary Poppins...if Mary Poppins had been Evil. Post caught the look Joyce threw her way just as the kettle that had been put on for tea started whistling and Giles got up to make the drinks.

"I know you must find me tiresome, but it's insidious really," Post informed her and Joyce, not trusting herself to remain polite with this woman, merely blinked in response before getting up to help Giles with the tea. Post watched the couple suspiciously, knowing there was definitely something going on between the two. They were too comfortable with other, sharing glances and looks, and working in almost perfect harmony in the kitchen. If she were still with the Council she would have been forced to report this kind of behavior, as it were though...she no longer answered to he Council. "A person slips up on the little things and soon everything's gone to hell in a hand basket," She carried on, taking the cup of tea that Giles passed her. "For example...this.." She gestured generally t the two as she got her own brand of tea from her handbag.

"This?" Joyce echoed, her voice slightly higher than usual.

"Mr Giles," Post said, speaking directly to the Watcher in a disappointed tone. "A Slayer's mother- really"

Joyce's jaw dropped open in shock and indignation. She quickly closed it, realizing this wasn't a particularly good look.

"I assure you-" Giles went onto argue, but Post continued to talk as though he hadn't spoken a word.

"And Buffy, the Slayer herself..."

"What's wrong with Buffy?" Joyce asked, going on the immediate defense though it was decidedly leaning towards more an attack.

"I assure you Mrs Post" Giles told the woman, "Buffy is both dedicated and industrious and I am fully in control of my slayer"

Just then Giles' apartment door burst open and Xander came storming in.

"Giles!" He said loudly, "We have a huge problem. It's Buffy"

Both Joyce and Giles looked uncomfortable under Post's stare. It was then that Xander actually noticed Joyce was there. He looked on in confusion.

"Mrs Summers? What are you doing here?"

* * *

"He's right through there Mrs Summers," The Nurse told her in the hospital corridor, before rushing on over to a bed-ridden patient who was calling for her attention. Joyce stepped into the ward and saw Giles lay in bed, one side of his head heavily bandaged. He looked over in her direction briefly and smiled when he saw her. 

"Hi" she said softly, walking over to him.

"Hi" He managed to reply, though talking was evidently a struggle as was focusing on her actual image apparently, as he kept squinting, trying to gain some focus.

"I told you I didn't like that woman," Joyce said simply.

"Woman's intuition strikes again, eh?" He smiled.

"Something like that"

"Are you okay?" He asked her and her eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

"The man who almost had his head caved in is asking me if _I'm_ okay?"

"I'm concerned" he told her sincerely and it touched her.

"That's very sweet." Joyce told him, stroking the fringe of his hair off his face in a loving gesture that was a little too much for so early on in the relationship, but given the circumstances neither seemed to really notice or care "Stupid, but sweet"

"So welcome to the life," He joked, referring to all the events of the past week.

"It's not without it's ups and downs…and well loopdiloops," She admitted with a small shrug.

"And now you're going to sadly and slowly back away?" He acknowledged sadly. Joyce however, nudged him aside slightly so she could sit up on the bed.

"I didn't say I disliked loopdiloops" she told him, leaning over for a kiss just as she heard Buffy walk into the ward.

"Giles?"

Joyce leapt off the bed at such an impressive speed that Giles wondered briefly whether Buffy's excellent reflexes were partially inherited from her Mother, and the two tried to act as though nothing had happened, which technically it hadn't, but still. Buffy spotted them and headed over.

"Mom? You came to see if Giles is okay" Buffy noted, "That's nice"

Totally oblivious. Joyce sighed a sigh of relief-hopefully her daughter had inherited her denial ability.

"And I should be off now, actually. I'm needed at the uh, the gallery" She told the two and went to leave. "I'll see you soon" she was talking to Buffy but she was looking at Giles


	2. Amends

Okay-so I missed Lover's Walk and The Wish. Well, Giles was away on that retreat in Lover's Walk so let's just assume everything stayed the same in that episode and The Wish was an alternate reality in which he never met Buffy or Joyce so that was pretty pointless and now…moving on….

By the way people want you to know that the stuff in this fanfic won't ever get too _descriptive_ on the relationship front. I can write feelings but I'm terrible at writing the bodice ripper stuff (reading them is a different matter entirely…) hence why this is only a teen rating and not mature. So sorry anyone who is looking for that, but as much as I'd love to, I really can't write it. When I do try, it sounds worse than _Friends' _Rachel Green's attempt at a romance novel.

* * *

"It's not natural"

"Feel free to tell that to California"

"It's Christmas. It's meant to be cold," Giles complained as he looked outside at the blistering heat that was so evident by the fact people were strolling along coatless and with sleeveless tops. He and Joyce were both stood at the window basically watching the world go by. Christmas music was playing in the background which was very cosy and romantic but with the hot weather outside it just didn't feel _Christmassy_ to Giles.

"Cold in England huh?" Joyce asked casually. She wasn't too bothered about the warmth. Sure it would be nice to have snow at Christmas like on the Christmas cards where little Charles dickens creations milled about on snowy cobbled streets. But she had grown up in the state of California, different towns perhaps, but always the same state and so she was used to the fact that Christmas here was generally warm. Maybe not _this_ warm, but still.

"It's sometimes cold in _August_ in England" Giles told her, only half joking.

"But this is nice isn't it?" Joyce asked taking his hand and walking him back over to the sofa where the two sat down. Two half-empty glasses of red wine were on the table waiting for them and Joyce picked hers up. She gestured at the CD playing, "Got Bing working for us there and…well, it's nice, right?"

Giles looked at Joyce and smiled. She'd been here for the past two hours now and it had felt like they were a normal couple having a normal in-date. Except for the fact Joyce had sneaked out of the house from her daughter instead of the other way round and said daughter was in fact out slaying vampires. But aside from that a perfectly normal couple having a perfectly normal night in. He looked at her closely taking in every detail. The fact her off-the-shoulder cotton top was slipping more and more off to one side with each passing minute and with each glass of wine they drank. That her blonde curly hair, though tamed when she arrived, was slowly going back to it's original curly state. That-

"What are you looking at?" She asked.

"It's very nice," He told her answering her question before as well as he leaned over and the two kissed. Unfortunately Joyce still had her glass of wine in her hand and as the kiss deepened she leaned slightly over to put the glass down before wrapping both free hands around him. He did the same to her and drew her closer as the kiss became more passionate and-

"Christmas" Joyce murmured through the kiss and Giles pulled away in puzzlement.

"Pardon?"

"Christmas Eve" She repeated, "What are we going to do about it?"

"Exchange gifts? Drink…nog?" He asked warily.

"Yes…." She agreed slowly, "But do we do this together or alone?" She asked but he still looked at her blankly. Men. "I mean, should we…well, would it be nice to spend Christmas Eve together?"

"Oh" Giles stuttered, "Well it'd certainly be nice…on Christmas Eve with…." He sighed, "But what about Buffy?"

"I'll work her," Joyce promised as she immediately began planning a scheme.

"Really" he asked and she nodded, "Christmas Eve together. I like that" he said as though trying it on for size. He then looked at Joyce again, "Now where were we?" he asked pulling her closer to him.

"That interesting part of the relationship wherein your lips are on mine?" Joyce quipped just before their lips met. Just as they were getting completely lost in the kiss and it looks as though things were about to turn horizontal the door burst wide open and Xander came in. The couple jumped apart.

"Hey G-Man!"

"I may have to kill that boy," Giles murmured to Joyce and she giggled quietly. To Xander he said sarcastically, "Thank you for knocking"

"I just forgot my coat from the other day" Xander told him, ignoring the pointed comment as he did a quick scan of the living area. He didn't find his coat but he did find Joyce. "Mrs S? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, erm….just…erm" She struggled round for an excuse, looking to Giles helplessly. She then spotted something over the arm of the empty chair next to her. "Say-isn't that your coat Xander?" She asked and Xander brightened when his eyes rested on the dark green jacket.

"Yeah, it is. Thanks Ms Summers" He said, grabbing the coat and leaving without even resuming his unanswered question from mere minutes ago, "See you" he said as he left, closing the door loudly behind him.

"Thank you for being so completely oblivious" Giles said once Xander was out of earshot and the two of them sighed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Christmas tree shopping seemed surreal to Buffy Summers when she could easily be wearing a halter neck to do it. The men who worked at the Christmas tree lot were making an effort to make everything seem wintry as they sprayed half the trees in fake snow. It looked good from afar, but up close it just wasn't the same.

"Do you wanna get one with snow on it?" Joyce asked her daughter, standing beside her, "It'd be very Christmassy"

"I think those are just for display" Buffy debated, gesturing at the snowed up trees.

"Oh" Joyce said a little deflated. She thought one with snow on would be nice. She watched as Buffy walked on. She needed to sort the Christmas plans out soon but she didn't want to seem too abrupt or obvious. She caught up with her daughter. "You know honey, I was thinking." Think fast Joyce; "Maybe we should invite Faith to spend Christmas Eve with us"

"I don't know" Buffy shrugged, unsure, "Faith and I don't really hang out. Or talk or make eye contact lately."

Okay, Joyce thought, so that idea was plummeting to its fiery death. She decided to use the gift of guilt. After all wasn't that what Christmas was for? Gifts…. and guilt?

"Do you really wanna let her spend Christmas Eve all by herself in that dingy little motel room?"

Buffy smirked.

"You're still number one with the guilt trip Mom"

"I try"

"Okay, I'll ask her" Buffy told her Mom in defeat.

"You're a doll" Joyce told her and waited for what she was sure would come out of Buffy's mouth next.

"How about Giles? I mean he doesn't have any family" _Bingo._

"Oh really?" Joyce acted casual as though the thought had never occurred to her, "So you think maybe it'd be a good idea if he joined us? I mean maybe he doesn't want to spend Christmas eve with a bunch of girls…."

"No, I'm sure it'd be fine. I mean otherwise he'd be all lonely right?" Buffy checked with her Mom, "I mean you guys are over the band candy thing yeah?"

Joyce nodded.

"Oh. Totally. Over it. Last year. Moving on" Why did she babble when she was nervous? It wasn't fair. No one else did.

"Right…" Buffy said a little puzzled by her Mother's reaction, "I'll erm…I'll ask him." Joyce nodded but then the two were silent. It was as if both knew the other knew something but were afraid to admit it so they just stood there silently looking at the ground that was lacking a layer of snow.

"Let's split up" Joyce suggested and the two immediately headed in opposite directions.

* * *

Books were everywhere. It was a sorry sight. Especially at Christmas. Buffy sighed and despite the fact she was deeply concerned and worried about Angel she needed a break or she was going to have a break herself as in breakdown.

"So what are you guys doing for Christmas?" She asked her friends.

"Ooh" Willow said, jumping in to answer, "Well Oz is coming over on Christmas Eve coz my parents are out of town. We're gonna watch videos"

"That's good right?" Buffy asked a frowning Will, "You guys are back."

"It's good" Willow agreed, "It's perfect in an awkward, uncomfortable sort of way. I just don't know how to make Oz trust me"

"Well Xander has a piece of you that Oz just can't touch" Buffy reasoned, "I guess now it's just about showing Oz that he comes first"

Willow considered this thoughtfully for a moment.

"I guess. Yeah. Thanks" Willow smiled-she had an idea now. "So what are your plans for Christmas? Any different from the gift giving you mentioned earlier?"

"Actually funnily enough yes" Buffy admitted and Willow raised her eyebrows, "We have acquired two new additions in the form of people. Or at least one. Which reminds me" She looked up towards the stacks where Giles was heading back down the stairs, "Giles!"

"Hmm?" He asked, looking up.

"You doing anything Christmas Eve?" she asked him and he acted surprised.

"Me? No, why?"

"Mom was wondering if you'd like to join us." Buffy frowned, "Actually, I was wondering-Mom just seemed to tag along for the ride"

"Oh Buffy, that's very kind, but-" Giles began to protest, believing it to look too obvious if he immediately said 'yes'.

"Oh come on. It'll be fun. No doubt Mom will throw a log on the fire to keep this heat at bay" Buffy persuaded him and he rolled her eyes.

"Well, I suppose so then. I will come that is. Erm, thank you Buffy"

"Yay. I win" Buffy smiled while she turned back to Willow.

"So who's the other potential guest?" She asked

"Oh Mom wanted me to ask Faith-something about her not wanting to be alone at Christmas. I don't think she'll show though."

Willow nodded, understanding Buffy's point. Faith wasn't exactly reliability girl and Willow didn't quite see the holiday season as being Faith's sort of thing. She looked back down at the book in her hand.

"Hey he likes beets"

* * *

As Buffy put the finishing touches on the tree, a job she had been entrusted to since the age of seven, she glanced over at her Mom to see her finishing lighting a log in the fireplace. Buffy looked over at Giles who was sat casually on the sofa.

"Didn't I tell you she'd put a log on?" Buffy asked him with a smile, "Nothing like a roasting fire to keep away the blistering heat"

"Oh come on" Joyce said, sounding hurt, "It's lovely" She said standing back to admire the handiwork.

"I think it's very…festive" Giles supported her and she sent a smile his way. She then frowned in concern.

"Maybe I should turn the air conditioning on?" she asked and Giles had to laugh.

"It's fine the way it is," He told her, "Perfect"

She smiled and nodded in acceptance and then turned around to reach into the nearly empty box of decorations. She pulled out the Angel and star. She struggled between a choice of which to put up. The Angel was gorgeous, but the star would fit so much better wit the tree…. She turned to her daughter.

"So Angel's on top again?" She asked and Buffy turned around startled with a 'what?' while Giles coughed and spluttered on his drink. Joyce looked around in confusion. She held up the two tree toppers. "Angel or star"

"Star" Buffy told her firmly, "Definitely star"

Joyce was about to ask what the matter with the two was when the doorbell rang and they all looked at each other questioningly, but it was Buffy who went to answer the door. Joyce still looked confused over the angel/star question and Giles thought it made her look adorable. He stood up and gave her a little hug and she smiled at him warmly. However her eyes told him that she was still confused. He took the star out of her hands and placed it on top of the tree just as Buffy came back into the room with a guest.

"Faith you made it" Joyce smiled, heading over to greet her and Faith handed her a small wrapped present. "Oh that is so thoughtful"

"They're crappy" Faith warned her when she spotted Giles near the fireplace.

"Hey G. Didn't expect to see you here"

"Well you know-Christmas spirit and all that" Giles explained but Faith just kept looking at him suspiciously. It was actually making him quite nervous. It was as if she knew something…but no, she couldn't possibly. He was thankful when Faith released her gaze and turned to Joyce with a smile.

"Okay" Buffy announced, "You know I am gonna go upstairs and get your gifts. Excuse me" and with that she dived upstairs.

"Faith would like some nog?" Joyce asked and Faith nodded.

"Thanks. That'd be nice" And with that Joyce headed for the kitchen. On her way she heard Buffy shout down

"Okay Mom don't touch yours though cause then you're gonna know what it is!"

Joyce laughed as she stepped into the kitchen. She had a feeling she knew what Buffy was getting her anyway and she was going to love it. She reached around, looking for a glass for Faith. As she found a glass she realized that she had been smiling throughout the search and actually ever since Giles had arrived. She was definitely onto a good thing. As she was filling the glass a pair of warm hands grabbed her round the waist and she turned a little to see him stood there behind her, holding her. She turned around completely so she was facing him and his embrace was entirely around her now.

"Hi" She said simply and girlishly. What was it that most of the time he was around she acted like a schoolgirl? Maybe it was candy related or maybe…

There was a banging noise as her daughter came running down the stairs at a fast pace and both Joyce and Giles ran out of the kitchen and into the hall to find Buffy talking to Faith.

"I just need you to stay here with Mom and Giles in case he comes back"

"Fine I'll play watchdog" Faith agreed, "But I don't really get it though"

Buffy then noticed Giles and her Mom were back in the room.

"Giles-I actually need to talk to you."

"What about?"

"It's Angel. He's slipping"

* * *

Later that night, so late in fact it was nearly morning, Giles knocked on the door of 1630 Revello Drive after a long night of researching before seeing Buffy storm off into the night to save Angel. He wasn't sure whether he should have just stayed home-it was late after all and Christmas Eve was practically over. He'd better go now before he actually woke anyone. He walked away down the front steps.

"Rupert?" He turned around to see Joyce stood in the doorway. She was already wrapped in a silk nightgown, but from the look on her face he could tell she hadn't been to bed. That she'd waited up. "Where are you going?"

"I thought maybe you'd be…asleep. Or busy. Or-well, it was late"

Just then Faith appeared at the door.

"Come on G, we're not gonna stand with the door open all day"

He shrugged with a smile and stepped back into the house. As they closed the door behind him Joyce popped off to the kitchen where she was making some tea.

"So you and Mrs S huh?" Faith asked, her talent for bluntness coming through again.

"What? I believe I don't know what you're talking about"

"Believe all you want I've seen what's going on between you two. All those looks" Faith said knowingly but before Giles could retort she let it drop and headed back into the living room and dropped onto the sofa.

"Oh my god" Joyce said, coming back in from the kitchen, "You wouldn't believe what's outside."

"What?" Faith asked assuming it was a demon and jumping up and walking over to the couple just as Joyce opened the door.

"It's snowing"

"Snow?" Giles repeated, taking his glasses off in shock as the three stepped outside into the sudden cold.

"Snow." Joyce repeated as she watched Faith stand in the street and let the snowflakes fall on her. Joyce then let Giles wrap his arm around her to keep her warm and she leant into him as she watched Sunnydale become a scene from Dickensian Christmas card.

* * *

So there you go; another chapter. The next is Gingerbread.

So what d'ya think? Feedback MUCH appreciated.


	3. Gingerbread

g120-thank you very much for the review and I hope you got my reply to it.

Idrisien-Glad you like it so far. I know what you mean about some of the GJ stories being cheesy so I am trying to keep as far away from that as possible. Feel free to tell me if I venture dangerously near to falling into that. hehe. Thanks for the review.

* * *

So here is the next chapter'th and remember-reviews are the food of life. (hint hint)

* * *

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Buffy yelled at Giles, the image of those poor dead children still imprinted on her brain. Giles jumped back a little in surprise at Buffy's reaction to the entire thing. He had never known her to get so overworked before-she always kept some level of cool no matter what.

"I-I-I only meant-" Giles struggled to explain but Buffy carried on talking.

"They were kids Giles! Little kids! You don't what it was like to see them there. My Mom can hardly talk"

"Joyce?" Giles asked, "I mean, your Mother? Why would she-"

"She came patrolling with me last night" Buffy explained as Giles came over to stand next to her, placing some books down on the table, "She was the one who found them"

"Oh my god is she okay?" Giles asked overwhelmed with concern, "How is she today? Maybe we should call her? That is you should call her…and check if…you say she found them herself?"

"She's okay Giles" Buffy said, slightly concerned for her watcher's sudden change in attitude. He looked close to breakdown for a moment there, "Calm down."

"Sorry I-" He searched for an excuse for his sudden outburst, "I just want to help. And your Mother-well, she's not used to seeing these things first hand is she?" He asked and Buffy shook her head.

"No which is why she totally wigged. More than she should have done. She can't stop crying"

"Poor Joyce" Giles murmured prompting a raised eyebrow from Buffy. He ignored it. He really wanted to go to the phone and call Joyce to check in, or better yet actually go over to her house to see her in person. But neither of these options were available to him at the moment sadly. He sighed and decided to focus his attention on the task at hand. "Do you know how they died? It wasn't a vampire?"

Buffy shook her head.

"No there were no marks," she answered and as she tried to recall something from memory she didn't see Giles check his watch and look anxiously at the phone. "Wait a minute there were. I mean there was a symbol" She told him grabbing the nearest piece of paper. Her ballpoint had almost made a mark on it when she realized it wasn't paper but rather old parchment. She was positive she shouldn't write on it, but wondered why Giles hadn't said so. Something was up with him. She looked over and saw him focused on the phone and then he looked anxiously at his watch. Something was definitely distracting him. At the moment though it was unimportant so she brushed the concern and the parchment aside and grabbed a 20th century notepad and sketched the symbol she saw from the night before. She held it up for him to see and she drew his attention again "It was on their hands. The cops are keeping it quiet but I got a good look at it. Find me the thing that uses this symbol and point me at it."

Giles took the notepad from her hands and studied the symbol with a 'hmm'.

"Hmm?" Buffy asked, "Hmm what? Giles speak."

"What?" Giles asked, drawn out of his reverie. He had been desperately trying to place the symbol, as he was sure he recognized it from somewhere. Perhaps from London? In his Ripper days he had come across many symbols that looked like this and many weren't good and many led back to Ethan. Figured. "I just wonder if we're looking for a thing. The use of a symbol on a victim like this suggests a…ritual murder and a cult sacrifice by a group"

"A group of human beings?" Buffy asked, "You mean someone with a soul did this?"

"Afraid so…I really think one of us should call Joyce, Buffy. She may be very upset. Probably is. Since you have class maybe I should just go visit her-check on her"

"Since when did you become Bold Sensitive?" Buffy asked and then at Giles' look hurried to correct herself, "Not that you're not a nice guy and haven't cared before but you pretty much do a backseat caring. Like as in 'go check on your Mother Buffy' or a reassuring 'I'm sure she's fine' and now it's all 'I think I'll take her some chamomile tea'? What's the what?"

"Not's the what." Giles answered automatically then shook his head at the answer, "What I mean is it is nothing. I'm just concerned for your Mother since she's witnessed the terrible deaths of these two children."

"But" Buffy started to argue just as the bell rang.

"Oh the bell." Giles said cheerfully, "You'd better be off to class. I'll keep researching"

Buffy just nodded warily before leaving the library. As soon as she was gone Giles headed to the phone and called Joyce at home. There was no answer and it went to answer phone. He hung up without leaving a message and wondered where Joyce could be and unfortunately he didn't have her number at the gallery.

* * *

Her mind was all over the place. As she walked she kept constantly flashing back to the image of the lifeless children on the playground. It made her heart, stomach and head hurt all at once. She couldn't take it. It didn't matter how many demons Buffy slayed-or was it slain?-it wasn't going to make it okay. It wasn't going to bring those poor children back to life. They were gone. She had to do something. Well she had started to. The meeting-that would help. But she still didn't feel okay. She just needed to talk to Rupert. To see him. That was all she needed she thought to herself as she walked through the Sunnydale High corridors in the direction of the library.

* * *

"So Buffy's birthday is next week" Oz said as he, Xander, Amy and Willow were walking down the corridor towards the cafeteria.

"Ooh yeah!" Xander exclaimed, "I've been pondering gift options" At that point Willow saw Buffy come out of a classroom and head towards them to join them on their canteen walk. She coughed to alert Xander to her presence.

"Oh come on we just got a topic here" Xander protested and then realized Buffy was stood beside him and had begun walking with them at the same casual pace. "Hi Buffy what's up?"

"You guys didn't hear?"

"Hear what?" Xander asked.

"A murder. Somebody killed two little kids," she told them and they all gasped in horror.

"Oh no" Willow murmured.

"They were like seven or eight years old. My Mom found them during patrol last night"

"Kids?" Oz asked in disbelief. The fact it was children made the evil more disturbing than usual. Xander was merely frowning in confusion.

"Why was your Mom there?"

"More bad" Buffy told them as they turned onto a new corridor that was thankfully only a couple of corridors away from the cafeteria. Why did High Schools have to be so god damn big? "She picked last night of all nights for a surprise bonding visit"

"God your Mom would actually take time to do that with you?" Willow asked in shock. Her own mother hadn't even noticed she'd had a haircut. Willow felt a huge wave of self-pity coming along. Like tidal wave size. She saw though that everyone was looking at her with a frown. "That really wasn't the point of the story was it?" Willow asked and everyone just shook their heads 'no'.

"No the point is she's completely wigging" Buffy said, looking directly at Willow and so not seeing the person she walked into. "Sorry-Mom?!"

"Who's wigging?" Joyce asked, having caught the end of their conversation.

"Erm everyone" Buffy covered up, "You know coz of what happened"

"Oh it's so awful" Joyce agreed fully, "I had bad dreams about it all night"

"Hi Mrs Summers" Willow smiled as did Amy and Xander and Joyce absently said hello back, but clearly not paying full attention.

"Buffy I was just about to go talk to Mr Giles about who could have done this" Joyce told her daughter and Buffy nodded in agreement.

"You should go. Giles can always use more help in the library" Buffy told her and Joyce nodded and went to head off and then stopped, acknowledging Buffy's sudden eagerness to pack her off to the confines of the quiet and empty school library.

"Are you embarrassed to be hanging out with your Mother?" She asked, "I didn't hug you"

* * *

"Joyce" Giles jumped up from his seat the moment he saw her walk through the door. He held her shoulders and looked her in the eye, "Are you okay? You're sure?"

"Yes I'm fine," She told him distractedly and Giles was a little confused and slightly hurt by the slight brush off, "Buffy says you've been researching the…erm…the murder?"

"Uh, yes, I have," He told her before leading her over to his research and she took a seat at the table. "I believe from what I've found that the symbol is ritualistic and linked to a certain cult…"

"A cult? Like witches?"

"Yes I suppose-"

"And magick?"

"Yes in a general sense" Giles agreed.

"But isn't this what you and Buffy are involved in? Magic? All her friends are. You're absorbed in the same thing that killed those children and" Close to hysterical the words after that ceased to make sense and Giles went to her side and held her.

"It's nothing like that. I promise. We stop all the bad things. We make them go away"

"I know" Joyce nodded slightly as she pulled away from the embrace to look at him. He saw that her face was sad, but her eyes. Her eyes looked confused-almost dazed and he frowned at this. "It's just I keep thinking about who could have done such a thing. I have to help"

"Well you can always help me here…" Giles suggested but Joyce was apparently still talking.

"I called everybody I know in town. I told them all about the dead children and they're just as upset as I am"

"Erm, Joyce by everyone that you know you don't mean…"

"And they called all their friends" Joyce continued. "And tonight we're setting up a vigil at City Hall. The Mayor is gonna be there and now we are gonna get some action"

Giles had actually been hoping for a different type of action entirely, but all he could do right now was look at Joyce in shock. She had called everyone? Did the term 'secret identity' mean nothing to Summers women?

"As much as your enthusiasm to help is admirable and much appreciated…but when something is related to demons and slaying…the number of people who have to know stays fairly small."

Joyce's eyes widened as she realized what she was saying.

"Oh…sorry." She apologized, "I just wanted to help and I guess I got carried away…"

"Perfectly understandable, I assure you"

"Well I'm sure there won't be that many people there," She reasoned and he nodded in agreement.

"I suppose it's like there aren't many people here now," Giles said pointedly and Joyce smiled as the two kissed. After a minute though Giles pulled away and suggested they go they go their separate ways now and meet at City Hall later. As he watched her leave his concern grew-her kisses were off as in he didn't quite feel it was Joyce on the other end. He quickened the pace of his research as he was certain that Joyce, the children and the symbol were all linked.

* * *

"Won't be that many people she said" Giles murmured as he entered city hall, "That woman…" he searched through the crowd for a familiar face, trying to keep steady as people shoved past him and then he spotted the familiar red hair of Willow. He followed it like the North Star and arrived at the group to find Joyce was already there along with someone who could only be Willow's mother if the red hair and widow's peak were anything to determine it by.

"I almost didn't find you in this crush. Oh hello-Joyce. Quite a turnout you have here" he told her a smile playing at the corner of his mouth and she smirked back, both knowing everyone around them was clueless.

"Well it's not just me but thank you"

"There's a rumor going round Mr Giles" Sheila spoke up and Giles jumped.

"R-Rumor? About us?" Giles asked in shock, wondering how Sheila Rosenberg could possibly have known. However he caught Joyce's clear look of dismay as she widened her eyes at him and he immediately got the hint. "I mean about what?" He corrected himself.

As her Mom explained her latest analytical theory Willow scrutinized the exchange between Giles and Joyce. The two had been sending knowing looks and smiles each other's way since Giles arrived and Willow thought they were standing way too close to just be simple acquaintances. Then Willow's eyes widened in shock as when the two of them faced her Mom they held hands ever so slightly. Willow knew that trick. She and Oz had used it in front of his parents many times. It was where your hands touched fingers and gave the feeling the two of you were holding hands, but to everyone else it just looked like you were merely stood together. Willow let out a little gasp as everything fell into place. Buffy had told her what had happened a few weeks ago with the candy after all so it would kinda make sense. Speaking of, she looked at her best friend who was happily oblivious to the sparkage between her mother and Giles and Willow, for now, decided it was better that way and made a silent vow to keep her mouth schtum. Her thoughts were disrupted however by the sound of a microphone being switched on and used and everyone turned to face the front of the hall where the mayor stood.

"Hello everybody"

"He'll do something about this; you'll see" Joyce whispered confidently in Buffy's ear and her daughter winced. She didn't see this though as she walked back over to Giles and held his hand, conveniently covered by the clipboard in her hand. However, while the slightest touch from Giles usually gave her comfort her mind couldn't help focusing on the magicks he so obviously dabbled in. It was so dangerous and he was involving _her_ daughter and friends in it all. It just wasn't safe. All these demons and evils in town and well, her daughter may try to stop it but she was using the same means as the evil…so didn't that make her evil as well? Joyce pulled her hand slowly away from Giles and he looked over to her in surprise.

"Now I ask you to give your attention to the woman who brought us all here tonight, Joyce Summers"

Joyce smiled slightly at Giles and Buffy before heading up to the stand and she took a deep breath, as she got ready for what she was about to say.

* * *

"Joyce, I'm just saying that what you said-well it hurt Buffy's feelings"

"But I wasn't talking about her"

"But you said 'slayer'" Giles argued. He was sat quite still on the library table while Joyce was in fact pacing impatiently in front of him.

"Well…it is linked to it all, isn't it?" She asked him in debate, "I mean it comes from all these dark magicks…" She trailed off as she glanced at the half-size bookcases next to her. She knelt down to get a better look at what was on the shelves. "_Demonology, Apocalyptical Prophecies, Mouths of Hell, The Codex…"_ Joyce read off the titles of the old leather books in horror. She looked to Giles, her eyes wide, "Are these books in the library all the time?"

"Well, yes-"

"Where children can reach them?"

"Now Joyce, I assure you that the pupils of this school never get their hands on those books" he smiled, "no pupils come into the library full stop". She didn't smile back.

"Rupert this is dangerous stuff…if kids got their hands on it…I've got to sort this out" She stood up straight, grabbed her purse of the table and started to head out of the library. Giles grabbed a hold of her shoulder but she shook it off in what seemed like contempt as she marched out of the library doors. He looked down at the table with a sigh and saw a book open in front of him with the symbol he and Buffy had been looking for staring up at him. He read further and saw it was linked to witchcraft. Bugger.

* * *

Giles was talking on the phone as he watched helplessly as his books were carried out the library by officials. Joyce was on the other end of the phone and he was trying to talk some sense into her, but she was having none of it. Something was definitely up.

"Look love," He began to say and then saw Buffy stood beside him, "erm-love-lovely as this offer sounds I am not interested thank you very much" he covered before putting the phone down and turning to talk to Buffy.

"They're confiscating my books" he said to her in place of 'hello'.

"Giles we need those books" Buffy said, taking a talent to state the obvious to a whole new level.

"Believe me, I've tried to tell that to the nice man with the big gun"

"No, there's something about that symbol that we're missing. Willow said she used it in a protection spell-it's harmless." Buffy explained, "Not a big bad. So why would it turn up in a ritual sacrifice?"

"Ordinarily I would say let's widen our research"

"What with? A dictionary and _My Friend Flicker_?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"Well I said ordinarily" He reminded her, "This is intolerable. Snyder's interfered before but I won't take this from that twisted little homunculus."

"Ah I love the smell of desperate librarian in the morning" Snyder paraphrased as he walked into the library.

As Giles and Snyder fell into a verbal sparring Buffy looked around for any helpful books that might be left, but they all seemed to be already packed up into the boxes. She leaned over the library counter but unfortunately saw nothing there except yellow pages. She sighed in exasperation. When had this town got so hysterical? She tuned back into Snyder and Giles' conversation at a loss of what else to do.

"And you'll have to answer to MOO" Snyder finished.

"Answer to MOO?" Buffy echoed, "Did that make some sense that I'm _not_ in on?"

"Mother Opposed to the Occult" Snyder explained taking a sip of his coffee, "A powerful new group"

"And who came up with that lame name?" Buffy asked.

"That would be the founder" Snyder explained simply as he started to head out of the library, "I believe you call her Mom."

"Mom?" Buffy repeated in shock once the principle had left. "Mom did all this?" She turned to her left to speak to Giles but found he was already leaving the library, "Hey! Slayer in waiting here!" She called and ran after him.

* * *

"I don't want you seeing Willow anymore" Joyce said as soon as Giles came into the living room. Giles frowned-as greetings went it wasn't unoriginal. But what was Joyce's problem with Willow? "I've spoken with her Mother. I had no idea her forays into the occult had gone this far"

"I'd hardly say she's dangerous though" Giles argued, but Joyce was having none of it as she looked down and returned to what she was doing, which apparently was a whole lot of signs and promotional items bearing the tag 'never again'.

"You're the one who ordered the raid on the school today" Buffy said in disbelief

"Honey they opened a few lockers"

"Locker" Buffy repeated, "First syllable 'lock'. They're supposed to be private"

"And my books" Giles joined in, "They've taken them all. How are we supposed to help with what's going on if we can't research. We have nothing to help now"

"You'll get most of them back" Joyce replied, "MOO just wants to weed out the offensive material. Everything else will be returned to you soon Rupert"

"Rupert?" Buffy repeated looking at her mother with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"Joyce if we are going to stop what happened from happening again, from solving this terrible crime, w-we need those books"

"But they have no place in a public school library" Joyce stood up and walked over to the watcher and slayer.

"I understand that but-" Giles tried to say, but Joyce yet again wasn't to be interrupted.

"Any student can waltz right in there and get all sorts of ideas. Do you have any idea how much that terrifies me?"

Giles looked downwards, ashamed. He hadn't even thought that that might have been her interpretation of events. Joyce was a protective person by nature and being a Mother made her more so towards children so it would be understandable that she would go overboard with this event. She just wanted to help and it had just ran out of control is all. He just-

"Evil pops up, you undo it and that's great" Joyce told Buffy as Giles listened in, "But is Sunnydale getting any better? Are they running out of vampires?" Then again, Giles thought, maybe it wasn't just concern and there was in fact something else at work…

"Mom, I don't think you run out of…"

"It's not your fault" Joyce stated ignoring Buffy's attempt at arguing back, "You don't have a plan. You just react to things. It's bound to be kinda fruitless"

"Now Joyce, I think that's going a bit far," Giles argued, stepping in to defend Buffy, "And it's unfair. Buffy is an accomplished slayer and girl and…"

"Sorry" Joyce apologized, "I didn't meant to offend…"

"Yeah, well you did" Buffy said, interrupting her Mother this time. "It doesn't matter. I have to go. I have to go on another of my pointless patrols and react to some vampires. If that's alright with MOO"

Buffy left with a sigh and Giles knew he now had to talk to Joyce desperately-something seriously wrong was going on and needed to be fixed. At that moment though Buffy popped back into the dining room for a second.

"And nice acronym Mom" She told her sarcastically before leaving properly.

"Joyce," Giles began to speak but she held up a hand to stop him talking.

"Please don't argue with me Rupert" She told him as she looked at him sombrely "I know what I'm doing is the right thing even if you can't see that"

"I know you-"

"I think you'd better go" She told him, her tone deadly serious and he looked on in shock.

"What? Why?"

"I just can't take being around right now if you support…if you support the very thing that killed those children," She told him

"I bloody don't!" He argued instantly. He walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders and seemed to try to literally shake sense into her. "Something is seriously wrong here Joyce. You n-need to get a grip." She shook him off and turned back to the table full of lapel buttons and signs. Giles sighed as he realized talking to Joyce herself was sadly useless. He left. Joyce watched him go, feeling very sad at what she knew she would have to do.

"I'm just trying to make things better" She sighed looking at the poor children sat in the dining room chairs.

* * *

Giles was stood alone in his kitchen nursing a cup of tea. Yesterday Willow, Buffy and Amy had nearly been torched to a crisp by their own Mothers. Joyce had been released from the spell just in time to see flames reaching up to her daughter and being put out but an over-enthusiastic Cordelia.

Joyce had been a wreck and he'd wanted to comfort her, but right now it was important that she was with her daughter, with Buffy. Hence, he was here alone. Just as he was about to take a seat in the living room he heard a knock at the door. Puzzled, he put the cup down on the table and headed to the front door and opened it to see Joyce stood on the doorstep looking more than a little worse for wear.

"H-hi" She stuttered with a weak smile.

"Hello" He stepped back to let her in, "Do you want to come in?" She nodded and stepped over the threshold.

"I've just finished talking to Buffy. Well, seeing Buffy…well." She found it hard to explain, "But she's over at Willow's now…something about a rat and a student…" she shook her head, clearly considering this confusing information unimportant.

Giles looked at her with concern; she looked about ready to fall down, but he wasn't sure whether she'd want him to go over to her at the moment. However, when she swayed slightly he threw the question away and ran over to grab her and he held her upright.

"Come on" he told her as her led her to the sofa. He could ask her if she were okay, but something told him it would be a pointless question.

"God I'm an idiot" Joyce said, her voice wracked with guilt.

"What?" Giles asked in disbelief, "You're not an idiot"

"Aren't I?" She questioned him but also herself, "I tried to kill Buffy. My own daughter." She shook her head sadly, "How will she ever trust me again? I won't even be able to look her in the eyes"

"She doesn't blame you. And you shouldn't either" He told her, holding her hand in his. Her hands were frozen and he did his best to warm them up, "We all know you were under the influence of something else; a possession."

"How weak is that?" Joyce scoffed as she started to cry a little part through self-pity, part through misery, part through shock and part through guilt, "A supernatural Twinkie defence"

"It's not weakness" Giles told her firmly, "People have done a lot worse things when they've not been possessed; done it of their own free will." Joyce seemed unconvinced as she just stared at the floor blankly, not really focusing on everything and clearly reliving the week's events. "You live in Sunnydale. Possession is par for the course" he made a stab at a joke and she laughed slightly but this soon turned from laughter into sobs and she was crying her eyes out. He went to pull her close to him, but she clambered over herself, tucking her legs under her as she cuddled up to him and he put his arms around her warmly and supportively as she sobbed quietly.


	4. Helpless

Hey all you guys who are reading this (at least according to my stats anyway. haha) please take the time to review. I know I sound like a review nag, but reviews let me know what you guys think of the story so far and which way I should head with etc. So feedback much appreciated peeps. And I know sometimes I update too soon for there to be a review on one chapter but still...**smiles a winning smile**.

* * *

"Gotcha!" Buffy cried as she pinned Angel to the floor. 

"Uh, right in the heart"

"Satisfied?" She asked with a smile but Angel frowned.

"I'm not sure that's the word," He told her and Buffy was taken aback by his words as she put down the baguette she had been using as a 'stake' and stood up.

"Okay" She said, "I didn't mean satisfied like…"

Angel picked up the bread and stood up also.

"No I, I wasn't trying to…" He explained unsuccessfully.

"No, cause we're not having satisfaction in the personal sense…" She trailed off so wanting to have that kind of satisfaction with Angel, but knowing she never would.

"Of course" Angel exhaled, obviously feeling the exact same as Buffy.

"I erm, should go…" Buffy announced, "Giles is…"

"Waiting for you" Angel finished, nodding.

* * *

"Mmm" Joyce sighed happily as she and Giles sat curled up together n his living room sofa. 

"Mmm" He echoed and she lifted her head to look at him.

"I just wish we could do this at my house instead of here all the time."

"There's something wrong with my home?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and she shook her head with a smile.

"No…" She glanced around for a check and couldn't ignore the fact there was a lot of green, "Not much anyway." Giles decided to safely ignore that comment, "It's just you know…occasionally a girl likes to hostess in her own home."

"Yes, but…" Giles said about to explain what they both knew.

"I know. Buffy could come home and the scene that would unfold would not be pretty. And most likely would end up in bruises" She said before he could himself, "On your part that is. Being her Mother I would be fine" She smirked.

"Speaking of…" Giles said looking at his watch for a moment.

"You can't stay here a few more minutes?" She asked, snuggling even closer to him. "So warm…cosy…comforting…. romantic…" With each word she drew closer until they were nose-to-nose and then it dissolved into a kiss. Eventually they pulled apart reluctantly.

"Buffy is…" Giles said with a sigh and Joyce finished.

"…Probably waiting for you at the library"

* * *

Joyce was feeling especially giggly this morning. It was just before school was starting and since Buffy had claimed she was going to Willow's that morning before school, Joyce had come to see Giles on her way to work. Lately, she wanted every spare minute to be with him. She was surprised she felt this way. After all they had only been dating a little while and even then she couldn't really call all this sneaking around 'dating'. Yet here she was linked with Giles as the two laughed and talked as they went to the library. They walked through the doors in mid conversation and were surprised to see Buffy already there knife throwing. Or making a sorry attempt at knife throwing. Joyce gasped in panic. 

"She said she was going to see Willow" Joyce whispered as the two panicked about where to go. Giles silently suggested she go back out the door before Buffy noticed them but the slayer was already turning around so Joyce had to think quickly. "Hi honey!" She greeted her daughter loudly, but instead of a smile she was received with a frown.

"Mom? What are you doing? Here? At the library. Again."

"Well, erm…" Joyce looked at Giles helplessly but he had no help to give. Great, her plan had got her this far. Way to think ahead Joyce, she told herself. "You left so early this morning and in rush without any breakfast I was a little worried"

"Mom" Buffy said, rolling her eyes, obviously buying into what her Mother was saying.

"Can't a Mother just be concerned for her daughter?" Joyce asked flicking her hands open in a questioning stance as she headed over to Buffy.

"Yes…but you came all the way. Here. To school. Just to check if I was okay?"

"So I go over-the-top" Joyce shrugged, "You're a slayer. Merely more reason for me to worry"

"Mom" Buffy said pleadingly hoping her Mom wasn't going to go into another why-do-you-have-to-be-the-slayer lectures.

"No it's fine. I just wanted to check" Joyce told her smoothing down her daughter's hair. It always worried Buffy when she did this. With how curly her Mom's hair was, how wild did her own hair have to be for her Mom to think it wasn't smooth enough? "You sure you're okay?" Joyce double-checked and Buffy nodded.

"I am fine. Completely and utterly. I am the personification of fine" Buffy told her and then thought for a moment. "Maybe I should get a hat. Or a cape"

"Okay" Joyce agreed although now she really wasn't sure if her daughter was or not. She decided it was silly teenage stuff and she shrugged it off. "Well I'll see you at home" She told her before saying bye to both Buffy and Giles and leaving the library. As soon she had left Buffy turned to Giles.

"I am not fine Giles. I am in a land that is far, far away from fine" She threw a knife at the target to prove it. It rebounded off the board and clattered to the floor. "Giles something's wrong"

"Wrong?" He asked and she threw another badly aimed knife.

"Ah perhaps you shouldn't-" Another knife embedded itself in two books on a nearby shelf, "do that anymore"

* * *

"I think it's sweet that you and your Dad have a tradition" Willow said as the group all sat outside eating lunch. "Especially now that he's not around so much. Ixnay on the caramel corn though if you go backstage" 

Buffy nodded in agreement even though she didn't think the warning really applied considering she was 18 and not a child like Willow was when the unfortunate incident happened to her.

"But we're still talking party right?" Xander checked, "I mean some of us still love to relish celebrating in the birth of the Buff."

"I dunno" Buffy shrugged thinking back to all the disastrous parties she had gone to in the past three years. "I think it might be time to put a moratorium on parties in my honor. They tend to go badly. Monsters crash. People die."

"But eighteen is a big one Buffy" Willow argued, "You can vote now. You could be drafted. You can vote _not_ to be drafted" Buffy smiled and shook her head.

"I think I'll choose to celebrate this one with quiet reflection" She told everyone.

"Since when is it written that quiet reflection can't be combined with cake and funny hats?" Xander asked.

"Speaking of reflection" Buffy carried on, pointedly ignoring her friend's question, "Have any of you noticed how weird Giles is acting lately? Or my Mom?"

Willow choked on the juice drink she was having at the time and she spluttered as she reached for a napkin to wipe her chin.

"I mean" Buffy carried on, oblivious to Willow's sudden choke-a-thon. "Mom just keeps randomly turning up at the library and…it's just weird" She looked at her friends but their faces were blank, "You haven't noticed anything?"

"Your Mom's been at school?" Xander asked in confusion completely unaware of Joyce's recent visits to the grounds. Buffy sighed in exasperation and turned to Willow and Oz for insight. Oz just shrugged silently in his usual fashion and Willow was too busy looking at something in the opposite direction for Buffy to get her attention.

* * *

Joyce was cooking dinner when she hurt the front door close. 

"Buffy?" She called out.

"Present" her daughter responded as she came into the kitchen and then spotted the two bunches of flowers, "Ooh presents."

"They're uh, not" Joyce said, "They're from your Father" Yet again Hank was going to disappoint. That man got her so mad-he couldn't take one day off for his daughter. One day. He was more than likely too busy boinking…She needed to stop thinking. "Erm he says his quarterly projections are unravelling-" Joyce watched Buffy read the card on the first bunch of flowers and she ripped the tag off the second bunch before Buffy could notice and hid it in her hands, " And he can't afford to take off right now. He says he'll make it up to you. It's all right there in the letter" Joyce watched her daughter's face fall as she sadly put away the tickets without even reading the letter. "I-if you want, I could ask someone to cover me at the gallery. I-I mean if you want me to take you"

"No. That's not necessary" Buffy told her, "I was just thinking it would be nice to have a quiet birthday" She left the kitchen without a word and Joyce was seething. She couldn't believe that Hank would do that to his own daughter. It was her eighteenth birthday for crying out loud-he could have made arrangement. But no, like all men, he put himself first before anyone else. Joyce looked down at the card In her hand that she had ripped off the second bunch of flowers.

Joyce 

_Thank you for your lovely company the other night and I look forward to seeing you very soon._

_All the very best,_

_Rupert. _

Okay, Joyce admitted, maybe not all men. Some you can trust to be there without a doubt.

* * *

"You're having doubts" It wasn't a question, but an acknowledgement. "Cruciamentum is not easy…for slayer or watcher. But it's been done this way for a dozen centuries whenever a slayer turns eighteen. It is a time-honored rite of passage." 

"It's an archaic exercise in cruelty," Giles pointed out harshly, "To lock her in this tomb…weakened…defenceless…" He gestured at the crate behind them, "And to unleash that on her" He let out a sigh of frustration, "If any one of the council had actual contact with the slayer, they would see, but I'm the one in the thick of it"

"Which is why you're not qualified to make this decision" Quentin Travers told him, "You're too close"

"That's not true" Giles automatically argued and Quentin gave him a pointed look.

"We've been hearing rumors Rupert"

"Rumors?"

"About your ties with the slayer…and her family" Quentin told him and Giles made an attempt at looking blank, as though he didn't know what he was talking about.

"What on earth could you know about my feelings towards Buffy and Joyce?" Giles scoffed.

"The fact you called the Mother 'Joyce' for one thing" Quentin retorted, "The council is concerned Rupert and they've been keeping an eye on you. These past few weeks and I'll just say you'd be better be careful."

"Are you threatening me?" Giles asked.

"Warning you" Quentin corrected him simply.

* * *

Buffy struggled to carry the bag that felt so much heavier than normal. In it were all the weapons she needed to fight Kralik and save her mother. She held the bag that was rested on her shoulder with one hand and pulled open the kitchen door open with the other. She leant to the side to even the wait of the bag as she headed off to the boarding house. 

Just as she left Giles came walking up the front path. He needed to speak to Buffy, to apologize-he couldn't just leave it as they had. As he came up the front steps he noticed the front door was wide open and he quickened his pace as all sorts of worrying and panicked thoughts ran through his mind.

"Buffy? Joyce?" He called out as he stepped into the small, open hall. No one answered and he did a quick scan round and noticed a small Polaroid photo on the hall table. He picked it up and saw that it was Joyce being held in terror by the same vampire intended to be used in the Cruciamentum. He dropped the photo to the floor and ran back to his car to drive back to his house to get what he needed. On the way he tried to call Buffy on the cell phone she had recently acquired. She didn't pick up and Giles increased the speed of which he was driving.

As he drove at a dangerous speed at the fortunately near empty streets Giles kept involuntarily flashing back to almost an exact year ago. When he had arrived home to fine the rose on the front door and he had followed the roses and candles to upstairs where he had found a harrowing scene that had broke his heart on sight. He wasn't going to let something like that happen again. Ever.

He burst through the front door, heading straight for the chest where as Xander had once pointed out 'all the good weapons were kept'. Giles stopped midway however to find Quentin Travers stood in the room waiting for him.

"I've been waiting for you to get back" Quentin told him, but Giles just ignored him and carried on towards the chest, "I was on watch over by the boarding house"

As Giles went to open the chest he stopped to look over at the other council member.

"Then you know what's happened"

"Yes" Quentin agreed quietly.

"He's killed Hobson and made Blair one of his own" Giles recapped angrily, "Your perfectly controlled test seems to have spiralled rather impressively out of control don't you think?"

"It changes nothing" Quentin said simply as he watched Giles unpack crossbows and stakes from the wooden chest.

"Then allow me" Giles stopped emptying the chest for a moment to look Quentin Travers squarely in the eye, "I've told Buffy everything."

"This is in direct opposition of the council's orders" Quentin told him outraged.

"Interestingly enough I don't give a rat's arse about the council's orders" Giles replied as he settled on taking the crossbow and put a few stakes in his pockets.

"You can't seriously be thinking about helping Buffy in this test" Quentin asked in disbelief, "It is not a Watcher's business to aid the slayer in _her_ part of the battle"

"I don't intend for Buffy to 'battle' at all" Giles replied as he headed towards the door but Quentin's words stopped him.

"But I thought you already knew. The test has already begun. Your slayer entered the field about ten minutes ago"

Giles froze. That was why Buffy hadn't answered her phone. He had assumed that she was mad at him and was just refusing to pick up, but no, she had already found out her Mother had been taken. God, how stupid he had been not to think that.

"You didn't know she'd entered the house did you Rupert?" Quentin asked inquisitively, clicking to what was going on. "You need to stop this nonsense now. Your love for the slayer's mother-"

"My love?"

"Don't try to deny it; I've seen it one too many times." Quentin replied, but Giles wasn't trying to deny it. He had simply never considered the word before. He went to leave again, but Quentin walked over to stop him, "Now Giles, we've no business-"

In anger Giles shoved Quentin against the doorframe by the scruff of his neck.

"This is _not_ business!" He told him angrily, before storming out the door leaving Travers less than impressed and more than desperate for air.

* * *

Buffy held the bottle of pills tightly in her hand afraid to let go. She had set up the holy water before and she just needed to get back to it. Only problem was, she had no clue where that room was. In a desperate attempt to escape she dived down a chute in front of her and crashed to the room below. Unfortunately she landed on a table and as it broke underneath her she groaned in agony. She looked up to see her Mother tied in a chair and beyond that through an open door was the glass of holy water she had set up. Her Mom had been in the next room all along. Buffy scurried over to try and untie her Mom, but first she pulled off the gag. 

"Buffy we have to get out of here" Joyce told her. Way to state the obvious Mom, Buffy thought to herself as she tugged helplessly at the ropes. Suddenly, through a door that was closed that had gone unnoticed by both Joyce and Buffy, Giles walked in. "Rupert!" Joyce exclaimed when she saw him and he ran over. Just then Kralik burst in overcome with rage and the pain running through his head.

"Where are they? Where are they?" He asked repeatedly and Buffy jumped up and ran over while Giles continued to struggle with the ropes binding Joyce to the chair. Unfortunately they were too tight. He sighed in frustration.

"Can't Buffy just…you know?" Joyce asked and he silently shook his head as he got a penknife out his pocket and started to cut at the ropes. He had just cut her legs free when he saw Kralik start to smoke and burn.

"If I were at full slayer power, I'd be punning right about now" Buffy told the insane vampire while she held up an empty bottle of holy water. As he completely turned to dust Buffy sighed a sigh of relief and ran back over to her Mom and Giles.

"Oh Buffy thank god you're okay" Joyce said with extreme relief. "Oh that man…"

Before Joyce could finish however Blair came lunging at Buffy and she ducked just in time. Giles threw her a stake quickly and she caught it before effectively staking the almost newborn vamp. Giles cut away the last of the ropes tying Joyce to the chair and Buffy couldn't ignore the fact that once she was free her Mom and Giles automatically hugged tightly.

* * *

"Congratulations you passed" Quentin announced when he, Buffy and Giles were all back in the school library. Buffy and Giles had taken a distraught Joyce home and had left for the library with a promise to explain everything when they returned. "You exhibited extraordinary courage and clear-headedness in battle. The council is very pleased" 

"Do I get a gold star?" Buffy was deadpan.

"I understand that you're upset…" Quentin went to explain but stopped when he heard the pure fury in Buffy's voice.

"You understand nothing. You set that monster loose and it came after my Mother."

"You think the test was unfair?"

"I think you'd better get out of town before I get my strength back"

"We're not in the business of fair Miss Summers," Quentin admitted. "We're fighting a war."

Giles had to speak up at that outrageous comment.

"You're waging a war," Giles told him, "She's fighting it. There is a difference"

"Mr Giles if you don't mind…"

"The test is done. We're finished" Giles told Quentin with a tone of finality in his voice.

"Not quite" Quentin argued and both and Giles looked up, "She passed. You didn't. The slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. I've recommended to the council and they've agreed that you be relieved of your duties as watcher immediately. You're fired."

"On what grounds?" Giles asked taken aback. After all he'd done a damn sight better at his job than any of the other council members.

"Your affection for your charge and her Mother has rendered you incapable of impartial judgement" Quentin explained and Buffy looked up in surprise. She was touched by the mention of the affection Giles had for her, but slightly confused by the affection he had for her Mother. "You have a Father's love for the child, in more ways than one" Again, Buffy was touched; yet also confused. More ways than one? "And that is useless to the cause"

* * *

"So you've literally been non-slayer?" Xander asked as he, Oz, Willow and Joyce stood and sat in the kitchen with Buffy the next morning. 

"And you had to go fight the vampire all by yourself?" Willow asked, "A crazy vampire?" Buffy nodded and went on to explain when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it" Joyce told them even though none of the teens made an effort to get up anyway and she headed out of the kitchen. Even when she was out of earshot, Buffy kept her voice to her whisper.

"Guys…I'm sure there's something going on between Mom and Giles"

"Going on?" Xander asked, "Oh you're just all paranoid because you haven't got your strength back yet"

"No I'm serious" Buffy pursued the matter, "Last night when Giles came to help?" The others nodded to show they knew what she was talking about, "Well when he freed Mom they _hugged_"

"Whoa£" Oz said monosyllabically summing up effectively what everyone else was thinking.

"Whoa" Buffy echoed in agreement, "I think something….just _something_ is going on between the two of them that I just don't know about"

Willow smiled; finally glad to be able to rid herself of the secret she'd been carrying.

"Well," She began to say but her friend was still talking.

"And I don't think I want to know" Buffy said honestly and Willow's face fell as she realized she would have to quiet for a bit longer, "I think I'm just going to repress for a bit." She smiled at her friends, "I hear my Mom has a gift for that."

* * *

Joyce opened the door and found Giles stood on the other side, looking uncomfortable. 

"Hi" She said, feeling as uncomfortable as he looked.

"Hi"

"Would you, erm, like to come in?" She asked and Giles took in and momentarily enjoyed the fact that despite the gravity of the situation she still gave him that smile when she invited him in.

"Yes, thank you" He replied and stepped over the threshold, but he couldn't ignore the fact that she neither closed the front door or invited him into the living room. A sign that clearly showed she didn't intend for him to stay. "Joyce I feel so terrible-"

"I know you're sorry" Joyce interrupted him, "You said you were last night when you and Buffy explained what happened."

"Yes but-"

"You can't begin to explain how guilty you feel"

Giles took off his glasses as he grimaced in embarrassment as Joyce kept filling in for what he was about to say.

"Rupert I've heard all this, I know all this, but…"she trailed off as she struggled to say what she was going to next, "but it doesn't change what happened"

"I know" Giles accepted gravely.

"It was a huge betrayal to Buffy and so…well, it's a huge betrayal to me." She told him, "How could you do something that would put my daughter in danger like that?"

"It was council protocol…" Giles explained lamely, knowing it sounded pathetic.

"And that got you far didn't it?" Joyce asked sarcastically referring to the fact he had been relieved of his duties as watcher but she softened slightly when she saw his hurt expression, "I know this is all very complicated and I know you would never intentionally hurt Buffy ever…or me, but…. I just need some time. To think things through. I just need a little space"

"Of course" Giles agreed sadly knowing exactly what that phrase was to be interpreted as. "I guess I'll be off then. Erm, leave you to your space" She nodded as he headed off down the front path.

As she watched him go she felt downhearted. Here was a man who, she realized, was the first person she'd dated since Hank except Ted, but since he was a robot and a murderous one at that she decided not include that relationship faux pas. And he had betrayed her like most men did in her life. Then again, there had been very men in her life that had made her feel the way the man walking down her front path did. Was she really gonna let him go? She knew as much as he did that that 'needed some space' was an unofficial ending to an unofficial relationship. To err is human right?

"Rupert!" She called out just as he got to his car (could it really be considered a car though? Really) and he turned around. "We're erm, we're, that is Buffy, her friends and I are having some lunch in the kitchen. You could join us. if you wanted to that is" She smiled nervously and gestured slightly in the direction of the kitchen, re-inviting him in. He didn't have to be asked twice.

* * *

"Got it" Xander agreed with Buffy, "Land of denial re the G-Man." 

It was at that point that Joyce came back into the kitchen, but with Giles in tow. Buffy threw a pointed look at her friends.

"Speak of the devil-slash-watcher," Buffy announced with a smile.

"Erm, hello everyone"

"Giles…out of the library. It's not natural" Xander commented as he took a bite of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"I can't believe you were fired" Willow said to Giles, "How'd ya get fired?"

"So you were saying about how you managed to kill Kralik" Oz spoke up and Joyce smiled.

"Oh she was very clever she-" Buffy raised her eyebrows at her clearly saying 'shush'. "Uh, you go ahead and tell it dear. You tell it better" As her daughter turned back to her friends to tell them the tale Joyce looked up and caught Giles looking at her from across the counter. She smiled at him and he returned it. Sure, they had a lot of things to work through, but they would get through it. They'd be fine.

"Now when you say fired, do you mean 'fired'?" Willow asked Giles but he didn't turn around as he kept looking at Joyce. Willow noticed this obvious exchange of smiles, but was glad no one else did as Xander turned to look at her.

"You're not cruising past that concept anytime soon are ya Will?"


	5. Bad Girls

zigpal-thank you very much for the review! Hope you like this next chapter and actually I already have a layout plan for what to do in The Freshman so...watch this space. :-) Also, last night got inspiration for 'A New Man'. hehe.

g120-Thanks for reviewing and at the moment yes I'm staying close to the original. It's mainly because Buffy doesn't know yet so I'm trying to keep the story the same but adding a twist. But the group dynamic as you said will be changing soon...more so I think towards the end. It will be changing a lot then. And 9/10? Ooh happy day for me. teehee.

* * *

Okay-I missed The Zeppo because that was very Xander-centric so I didn't really see the point of including it. Sorry!

* * *

She'd been waiting for the opportune moment for weeks, but work was work and sometimes it was annoyingly hard to get away from it. But today, with a new shipment in she had loaded off the cataloguing onto her employees and co-workers and today she had an entire glorious day off and with Buffy in school, well, there was no chance of interruption. Speaking of Buffy, Joyce wondered when she would have to tell her daughter about her recent…'affair' with her watcher, if ever. Part of Joyce enjoyed the fact it was secret-it brought with it an excitement that you just couldn't have in out-in-the-open relationships and it felt very good. Then, on the other hand there was the reason that maybe the two of them were afraid to tell Buffy-her reaction after all was not predicted to be a good one. Joyce still couldn't understand how her usually insightful daughter hadn't clicked yet. Was it denial or just plain teenage oblivion?

"Well!" Joyce announced as she came through the library door, "I have an entire day off for us to use as we wish…and with Buffy in school…" Joyce trailed off when she saw the person at the table was not Giles but someone very unfamiliar. "You're not Rupert" She said simply, her brain not yet fully processing the confusion.

"No I'm not Mr Giles. I am Mr Wesley Wyndam-Pryce." He introduced himself holding out a hand for her to shake as she headed over. He was British that much was certain. She looked at the hand for a moment as though this was the oddest form of greeting she had ever come across, before smiling and shaking his hand.

"Erm, hi. I'm, uh, Joyce. Joyce Summers"

"Ah Buffy's mother" Wesley said knowingly with a little nod of recognition.

"You know Buffy?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, erm…I…I" Wesley struggled to explain just as Giles came out of his office.

"He's her new watcher," He said before looking at the blonde woman with a smile, "Hello Joyce"

"Hi" She smiled back before walking over to him and the two looked at Wesley displaying complete confusion.

"I told you she knew about Buffy being the slayer," Giles said casually and Wesley nodded.

"Yes, yes of course." Wesley agreed, "For a moment there, I, well, you know. New place. A bit all over it really"

"Do you like Sunnydale so far Mr…." Joyce struggled to remember the long surname. She couldn't. "Uh, Wesley?"

"I wouldn't know Mrs Summers, I don't believe" He replied and Joyce frowned in confusion and looked at Giles for an explanation.

"He's been here since he arrived," Giles explained, "I came in this morning and found him already here"

"Oh." There wasn't really much else to say. Except for the fact she wanted to scream 'get the hell out of here! We want time alone!' at the new watcher, but she figured that probably wouldn't be the best way to go about things.

"Yes," Wesley agreed though no one had actually said anything to agree with, "I decided it was best to get an early start." He explained as he reached into a box to get more books. While he was distracted and looking the other way Joyce and Giles moved closer to each other as they held hands and gave each other a morning kiss. The two clearly wanted more than this if the intensity of it was anything to go by, but with the new Brit in the area, they pulled away reluctantly. They didn't let go of each other's hands though and kept looking closely at one another both wanting to have another 'morning kiss'. They were just about to when the sound of someone clearing their throat brought them back to earth and they turned around to see Wesley Wyndam-Price looking at them disapprovingly and impatiently. They let go of each other's hand just in time as Buffy came into the library.

"Hello Buffy" Giles greeted her and Buffy smiled, that is until she saw her Mother in the library. Again.

"There's not much a point in me saying something about this anymore is there?" Buffy asked her Mom, "You've just gotta trust that me and Giles know what we're doing when it comes to the slaying you don't need to keep checking in with us and who is this guy?" She asked as her eyes fell on Wesley who upon being noticed smiled condescendingly down on her with a hint of smugness.

"Well, hello"

Buffy looked at Giles.

"New watcher?"

"New watcher." He confirmed. WWP held out his hand again as he had done before with Joyce.

"Wesley Wyndam-Pryce." He told her and Buffy looked at the hand in puzzlement.

"Odd isn't it?" Joyce whispered in her ear.

"Yes. Well" Wesley said, embarrassed, as he dropped his hand to his side, "It's very nice to meet you"

Buffy looked over at Giles.

"Is he evil?" She asked and Joyce laughed while Wesley just looked insulted.

"I beg your pardon?" He asked and Buffy turned to him to explain.

"The last one was evil"

"Oh yes" Wesley agreed, "Gwendolyn Post. We all heard, but Mr Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the council, but I'm glad to see your on the ball as well"

"Someone trying to kill you has that effect on a person." Joyce said in a tone that made Wesley unsure whether she was joking or not. He leaned over to Buffy as though sharing a secret. "A good slayer is a cautious slayer," he told her conspiratorially before stepping back. Buffy looked over at her unofficial watcher.

"Is he evil?"

"Or for real?" Joyce asked Giles as well and he smirked at the mother-daughter act. It was essentially tearing Wesley to pieces.

"Not in the strictest sense" Giles replied seeming to answer both questions with the same phrase.

"Well, I'm glad that's cleared up," Wesley said uncomfortably as he headed around the table, "Now as none of us are anxious to exchange pleasantries" He picked up a leather book and a pen.

"You're going to write your diary?" Joyce asked with a raised eyebrows and Buffy laughed. Witty remarks were their family's trademark and Buffy definitely wielded the gift with pride.

"Why don't you tell me everything about last night's patrol?" Wesley asked Buffy, ignoring her Mother's question as he opened the watcher diary to a blank page.

"Vampires" Buffy said simply, taking a leaf out of Oz's book.

"Yes…?"

"Killed 'em."

Wesley sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere with this group for a long time. He could see that now, "Anything _else_ you can tell me?"

* * *

"Cordelia" Willow sighed, "If you want me to help you, you have to focus."

"But it's so boring"

"I thought you said you did well on standardized tests," Willow pointed out. She was trying her best to help Cordelia in the student lounge with her chemistry homework.

"I do" Cordelia agreed, "But can it be helped if Chem is my weakness? It's so boring. Who cares about catalysts anyway?"

"You will if it gets you held back" Willow pointed out and Cordelia sighed. Willow didn't even know why she was coming to her for help anyway- she so clearly still held a grudge over what had happened with Xander.

"Whatever." Cordy shrugged, trying to focus on the scientific equations in front of her. They were blending into one huge painful blur. As she lost focus on the work and her eyes wandered away from the sheet she couldn't help noticing that Willow wasn't entirely focused either. "What's your deal anyway?"

"My deal?"

"Yeah, you're like unfocused girl. I wanna get this right and you're all could-care-less." Cordelia pointed out.

"No it's just…I'm just a bit distracted what with this whole new-watcher thing." Willow told her honestly, "You know about that right?"

"Oh yeah…" Cordy agreed, "I haven't seen him, but when I was in the library before I heard Giles and Mrs Summers talking about him." She paused, "You know them two are so sleeping together right?" Cordy asked Willow in a way as though she had asked if Willow knew a new show was starting on the WB.

"What? No way" Willow scoffed automatically, "And secondly? Ew. Why do you come out with stuff like that? Ew"

"Well they're at least dating" Cordelia corrected herself after Willow's reaction, "You can't tell?"

Willow sighed. Cordy's date-o-meter struck again. She was like a lie detector…but human and she detected sparkage rather than lies, but still. Also, why the crudeness? God, Willow was in a scary visual place right now and she _so_ wanted to leave it as soon as possible.

"I know, okay" Willow whispered, "But I'm the only one. Not even Buffy knows. I don't even think Giles and Ms Summers know I know….so…"

"So…?" Cordelia asked, not getting the hint.

"So 'shush' pretty much covers this sitch don't you think Cordelia?"

"Oooooh" Cordelia said in realization as she finally got the obvious hint. She then threw a look of disdain at Willow, "As if I would anyway. Please, like I wanna be drawn into your little soap opera"

* * *

Why wasn't Buffy back yet? She should have been back ages ago. Giles paced nervously across the library floor. He looked at his watch again and then at the clock just to check the time was right. It was. And that just made him more nervous and concerned about Buffy. Maybe he should have gone with her. No maybe. He just should have. He could have made sure she was okay. Could have helped. God, where was she? He looked over at the new watcher who was sat at the table, books scattered around him.

"These are all the diaries then?" Wesley asked, "Yours included?"

"That's everything. Knock yourself out. Please?"

Wesley ignored the comment, or rather perhaps didn't get it, and flipped through Giles' diary.

"Oh yes here is your first entry!" Wesley exclaimed, before reading the passage aloud, " 'Slayer is wilful and insolent'"

"Is _that_ what you think of my daughter?" A voice asked and Giles turned to see Joyce stood in the doorway. She was dressed exquisitely in a knee-length midnight blue dress that had a bateau neckline and she held a matching clutch bag in her hand. Her hair, made to look more blonde by the color of the dress, was styled smooth except for a slight curl at the ends. It was at the same time that Giles remembered to close his mouth and stop staring that he also remembered he had had a date with the woman in front of him. Had been the operative word.

"Joyce" He said simply as she walked over.

"So is that what you think of my daughter Wesley?" Joyce asked.

"Actually no, it was Mr Giles' first impression" Wesley told her and Giles could have hit him as Joyce looked at him with widened eyes and a raised eyebrow.

"Really? Wilful and insolent huh?" She asked and Giles was just relieved that her tone of voice told him she was teasing.

"'Her abuse of the English language'" Wesley read on, " 'Is such that I can only understand every other sentence'"

"Now _that_" Joyce said, "I would like you to explain"

"Well you have to get to know the girl…but you can't deny an American Teen slaughters the English language," He admitted truthfully.

"This is your idea of pitching woo?" Joyce asked in disbelief, but before Giles could respond to the surprising comment Wesley spoke up.

"You're surprisingly well dressed for a trip to a school library Mrs Summers"

"Well, uh…I was coming by here on my way to, uh, somewhere else," She smiled a weak smile as she tried to cover their tracks so-to-speak. She looked at the books on the table and then at Giles, "But it looks like I'll just be going straight home"

"Just came by to check on your daughter?" Wesley asked, but his tone told the couple he wasn't entirely convinced, "That's very considerate"

"She's a very considerate woman" Giles said automatically and half-regretted it when he saw the frown Wesley was throwing his way whereas Joyce was smiling at him in surprise.

"Where is my daughter by the way Mr…oh I give up." Why did he have to have such a stupidly British name anyway? "Where is Buffy? Patrolling?"

"Well, she _should_ be back by now" Giles said pointedly, looking at Wesley.

"Wait, what do you mean 'should'?" Joyce asked in worry, "Has something happened?"

"Not to fret," Wesley told her, "My mission scenario has her back in one minute" He popped a mint in his mouth.

"Mission scenario?" Joyce asked in disbelief, "She's not a game. She's an 18 year old girl." She ran over to Giles, having been stood several paces away till now, grabbing him in panic, "Where is she? What if she's hurt? We need to go find her."

"It shouldn't be much trouble" Wesley said simply, apparently oblivious to Joyce's near hysteria. She looked over at him.

"You-shut up" She told him and he closed his mouth in shock. She turned to look by up at Giles, "Come on. We need to find her. Help. You know, helping? Oh god. I hate this. I hate not knowing" Giles put his arms around her and knelt down slightly so he was looking directly into her eyes.

"I know but its okay." He pointed to his office, "My phone's through there. Call her mobile first-see if she answers. If she doesn't-then we go look for her? Okay?" Joyce nodded. It seemed like a reasonable plan and she headed off into the office.

Giles sighed as he took a seat on the table.

"This should stop now Mr Giles" Wesley said sombrely.

"What should stop?"

"You know exactly what," Wesley told him with a touch of superiority, "Your relationship with Mrs Summers. It's quite obvious what's going on between the two of you and it will only further complicate matters regarding the slayer."

"But I'm not her watcher anymore am I?"

"No I am. And in that standing, I strongly advise against it, if not forbid it." Wesley told him, "Involving the mother at all in the affairs of the slayer is frowned upon at least, but you went ahead and broke this rule. And now this." He sniffed smugly, "Well, I shall say only this Mr Giles as it's clear you will choose not to listen to me, but no good will come of this, mark my words"

At that point Joyce came back into the room, seemingly oblivious to the conversation that had just gone on between the two Englishmen.

"She's okay" Joyce told them with a sigh of relief, "She says she's got some amulet thingy…and she'll come by tomorrow? Before school?"

"I told you," Wesley said pointedly not without a touch of smugness in his voice.

* * *

They actually had the date the next night. It had been in a restaurant out of town to ensure no one would spot them. They had talked all night. Flirted. Kissed. Flirted some more. Then somehow the topic of conversation had got onto Buffy. Giles was concerned about her lately, about her behaviour.

Joyce tried to focus, she really did but her thoughts kept straying elsewhere (after all from what she could tell Buffy was just feeling free enough to act like an actual teenager for once instead of the chosen one). Her mind kept flicking back to the night several weeks ago. Hands on her breasts… his casual brutality and hot breath in her ear and the hard heat as her hair was pressed up against her back by the coolness of the car hood. The truth was, despite the fact they had been 'dating' for weeks…they hadn't actually _been_ together since that night when they had reverted to their teenage selves. And the even further truth? She didn't think, as he put his arms around her back and led her out of the restaurant, that she could wait much longer. She kissed him as they headed towards her car (she having earlier that night picked him up claiming that she doubted he'd actually make it if he took his own car) and Joyce was positive she couldn't wait anymore. And Buffy was going to be out nearly all night tonight…

He hadn't even questioned when she had drove straight in the direction of her own home and she took this to be a very good sign. When they arrived they climbed out of the car and headed to the front door neither holding hands or anything, but as she pushed open the front door and confirmed that Buffy wasn't home by the fact that no lights were on she turned to Giles and kissed him hard on the lips. The passion she gave was so powerfully returned that the kiss didn't break as she closed the front door and slammed her keys and purse on the side table. It was no doubt that both had the same thing on their mind. The kiss intensified and as the passion rose and the two tried to get closer and closer to one another the clothes that before had been complimented and admired suddenly became beyond unbearable. Giles was just beginning to attempt to unzip her dress when she led him up the stairs.

* * *

"Go on you need to go" Joyce insisted.

"But-"

"Buffy's just in the kitchen, now go before she-" Joyce was about to say 'sees' but then he was kissing her again and she wasn't saying much of anything at all. She broke the kiss reluctantly and she took the keys she had put on the side last night and handed them to him. "Take my car and I'll come by later…at yours and I'll pick it up." He went to argue. "Go!" Another quick kiss and he was gone and Joyce headed back in the kitchen trying to look casual.

Buffy put the paper on the side and focused on the front page intently trying to ignore the fact that she was sure she just saw Giles come down the stairs and head out the door. She also ignored the fact that she heard a car pulling her away from the driveway while her Mother was still in the house and heading towards the kitchen.

"Admit it" Joyce said to her and Buffy jumped. God, she didn't know did she? Maybe Giles _was_ here just now because they both knew. "Some days don't you just wake up and want to say to hell with the diet?" After last night she was pretty much feeling like saying to hell with anything, "Wanna make waffles? Big Saturday brunch."

"No thanks I'm not really that hungry" Buffy replied and Joyce sighed in defeat.

"So uh what did you and Faith do last night?"

"Nothing" Buffy replied but noticed her tone sounded suspicious and guilty, "I, uh mean nothing important." Time to distract. "Was that erm, Giles I saw at the door just now?"

"Rupert-I mean, Mr Giles?" Joyce asked, eyes wide and tone wavering on panicked, "Why no. That was uh, that was just a neighbour. He heard some noises last night and he was worried." She babbled out a weak explanation. "I mean why on earth would Mr Giles be here at this time in the morning?"

Buffy looked at the clock and saw it said 8.55am. Wow. She was up surprisingly early for a teenager _and_ a slayer.

"Yeah," Buffy agreed, "Unless he spent the night" Buffy joked and Joyce turned away from her to pour herself a glass of water. Something else to focus on. That was the ticket.

"You sure you don't want waffles?" Joyce asked lightly taking a big gulp of the water.

"No I'm sure." Buffy replied, "But I can help you make them"

"No it's alright," Joyce said a bit more calmly. Crisis averted. They really needed to tell her soon though. Really. "They only don't have calories if I make them for you" Buffy threw her a look of pure confusion and she shrugged. "Mom logic."

* * *

"I wish you would have said something," Joyce told him.

"What? Called you while the demon was threatening to rip off our kneecaps?" He asked, teasing her slightly and she smiled.

"It would have made for a complicated conversation I don't doubt that, but I was very worried when you didn't turn up." As if to emphasize this she held onto him more tightly and snuggled up closer on the sofa in her living room, "And I couldn't get a hold of any of the group. Well, the ones I could contact had no information anyway"

"I'm sorry missed our date because of a life or death situation" Giles apologized and Joyce kissed him instead of telling him she forgave him.

"You know…there is a way you came make up for it…" She told him casually. She knew they should be having the conversation she had planned. The one about telling Buffy. However desire was overpowering logic as she leaned over to him. The other night had been…well, something she certainly wasn't going to forget any time soon. Ripper had been let loose that night and I had been thrilling…but with all the kind softness of Rupert had made it not just thrilling, but perfect. She wanted more.

"Make up for it?"

"Unless…of course, you're not interested…" She said slyly.

"Oh no, I'm, erm, quite interested."

"I can see that" She smiled. The conversation would wait for another time.

* * *

And yet again I'm sending the review gnome after you all! Listen to his words of review wisdom... 


	6. Consequences

zigpal-thank you very much again for the review. I love 'em. hehe. Glad you liked Joyce's mockery of Wes-:-). And canon wise...I'm not sure if I'm going to stick with it. For now yes I am because I kinda liked season 3...but I may change some things in the future. I'm not sure yet though. Why? What did you have in mind? After all, ideas and suggestions are always welcome (particualrly if it's things I haven't even thought of myself! haha)

And the rest of you out there reading this...well, let's just say the review gnome's out looking for YOU.

* * *

Willow Rosenberg did not like walking home alone at night. She lived in Sunnydale and doing a lonely night stroll was as good as signing your own death warrant. But she'd needed to go to The Magic Box so desperately; she just couldn't wait another night. Protection spells didn't make themselves and she had had a sprig of rosemary harmonizing with a clear quartz crystal for a bit too long now and if she didn't get the rest of the ingredients for the spell and finish it soon she was worried the effects on the crystal were going to go horribly wrong and end up acting as some form of kryptonite to the user rather than a pyrite.

Plus, she had a cross and stake on her so she wasn't entirely defenceless. And she'd patrolled with Buffy many a time. She could handle herself. She was totally and utterly-

"Argh!" She jumped and screamed when a heavy hand was placed on her shoulder and she spun round to see, "Angel" She sighed with relief.

"Hi"

"Just so you know people aren't so big on the creeping stealth theme." Willow told him, nerves evident in her voice.

"Sorry" He told her, "Habit" Willow took note that sometimes the soulful vampire spoke less words than her own boyfriend, Oz. "So have you seen Buffy around? I can't find her" And like most guys he seemingly had a one-track mind.

"No, not since school, no" Willow told him and he frowned in concern, "Why?"

"I'm just a bit worried about her," Angel told her, his mind reaching back to the other night when he had bumped into Buffy and he was sure he had seen blood on her hands. "She's just been acting a little strangely lately…"

"I-I just think she's got a lot of stuff going on right now" Willow told him, "Big old high school teenage problems."

"Yeah…" Angel agreed, considering Willow's point, "I guess so. I mean it must be hard with her Mom and Giles and all…"

"What?"

"You didn't know?" Angel frowned with slight worry.

"Know what?" Best to play the clueless, Willow thought.

"Mrs Summers and Giles…" Angel sighed and for a moment Willow could have been convinced he was just a teenager like the rest of them, "Dating?"

"I don't know whether they're dating…" Willow debated.

"So you do know?"

"I didn't say that"

Angel sighed again in a form of exasperation that was so completely out of character for the broody Angel and so much like a worn out teenager that Willow found it hard to believe he _was_ an over 200 year old vampire. She bit back a little laugh tickling the back of her throat.

"Okay are they dating or not, Willow?"

Willow went to answer but then frowned in confusion.

"Wait," She said, "How do you know?"

"Last week I went to the library about the new demon on the block. Belthazor?" Willow nodded to let him know she remembered and understood, "Well, Buffy's Mom was there talking to Giles"

"So?" As points go Willow wasn't fully convinced.

Angel frowned that Willow didn't get it.

"When has she ever been in the library before Will?"

"Well quite a lot lately…" Willow answered honestly and then trailed off, "Okay, good point. But the thing is Buffy doesn't know. No one does" She paused, "Except Cordelia who for some reason was playing percepto girl the other day. Pfft."

Angel just frowned in confusion some more.

"I don't get your crazy system," He complained honestly.

"It's crazy, but it works" Willow smiled.

"Just keep an eye on Buffy for me? I'm worried"

"Will do" Willow nodded and before she could say bye or even 'keep me safe and walk me home Angel?' he had walked off into the night. No, walked wasn't the word, Willow thought. Swooped. He swooped off into the night and she couldn't deny as she watched him go, that it was a good way to swoop.

* * *

"The police, Rupert, why would the police be wanting to speak to her?" Joyce was pacing Giles' office at the library. After the detective had questioned Buffy she had headed off for Willow's, things obviously on her mind and she obviously hadn't wanted to talk about them with her own Mother so Joyce had come to the only place she could.

Well, actually she'd gone to his house, but when she had found it empty she'd headed for his home from home and _bingo._

"You know in her line of work Joyce, there's bound to be some police complications," Giles explained, walking over to hold her. Partially to comfort her and partially to stop the increasingly irritating pacing. Why did she pace? Why?

"I know," She agreed, looking up at him, "But they were suspicious. Like as though she'd done something. And she'd looked sick with worry. What if something terrible has happened and she just can't tell us? What if she's over her head? What if…." She took a breath and leant against him as she ran out of 'what ifs'.

"If's a big word" He told her.

"It's just two letters," She argued into his shirt, just to be facetious.

"What I mean is, you've had dealings with the police before. It's how you found out Buffy was the slayer wasn't it?" He asked and Joyce nodded. Oh yes, she remembered that night. That had gone horribly wrong. Oh and she remembered the painful months following. Not knowing where she was, not knowing how she was, not knowing what had happened to her. Just three months of not knowing. She'd been angry with the entire group then. She'd even told Giles that she blamed him.

_"You mustn't blame yourself Joyce"_

_"I don't. I blame you"_

She looked up at the same man now and he jumped a little to find her looking at him so intently.

"I don't you know" She told him simply as though he had been following her thoughts with her.

"Don't what?" Obviously he hadn't.

"Blame you." She told him; still not a full explanation but he understood what she was talking about.

"I know," He told her leaning down to kiss her. But he hadn't known. Not really. Not till just now when she had said the words.

"Ahem" Someone cleared their throat and the two broke apart to see Faith stood in the doorway.

"Faith" Joyce said with surprise, "We were just…"

"Yeah you were just," Faith said dismissively, but she herself looked distracted as well.

"Faith, what's the matter?" Joyce asked with genuine concern.

"I just…I've gotta lot of stuff I've been carrying around with me…but I just need to tell someone. I jut don't think I can keep it with me much longer…" Faith sighed as though hating to admit to the 'weakness', "Otherwise it's gonna kill me"

Motherly instincts kicking in, Joyce headed over and put her arms around Faith calmingly and led her to a seat.

"Just sit down…. and just tell us everything slowly. No one's rushing you" Faith nodded to show she understood. It wasn't a decision of telling, but of what to tell. Faith had fully planned to come and confess to everything, but the moment she had stepped into the library and made herself known she had already thrown that idea aside. She couldn't possibly tell them. She couldn't. They already thought she was a screw-up, just like everyone else did. She wasn't perfect like Buffy. Buffy. Faith looked at the woman in front of her who was knelt by her side just checking she was okay. Buffy's Mom. Could Faith do it? Shatter the woman's high perspective of her daughter? Make her seem more like her, Faith? It'd be devastating. But could she do it? They'd all been so kind to her…but there was always that underlying 'why can't you be more like Buffy?'. Well in one confession Faith could easily make Buffy more like her. Could she do it though? She took a deep breath and swallowed loudly.

"It's about Buffy…a-and me. The other night. We were just patrolling"

"Something happened?" Giles asked, stepping forward and Faith nodded.

"Something happened alright." Faith acted worried and ashamed and excusing, "We were just staking vamps, they were coming out of nowhere…_he_ came out of nowhere"

"Who came out of nowhere Faith?" Giles asked carefully, fearing he knew where this conversation was going.

"The guy. The Mayor's…Allen Finch" Faith said sombrely.

"What about Allen Finch?" Joyce asked, on level with Faith so she could look her in eye. She still didn't realize where Faith was going with this, but Giles knew all too well.

"Allen Finch died by a sharp instrument to the heart" Giles said, quoting a news report he'd seen, one of many, "Faith-accidentally-on patrol did you stake Allen Finch?" The question sounded ridiculous but no one was laughing.

"Rupert" Joyce reprimanded him, shocked that he could suggest such a thing, but when she looked back at Faith she saw the look in her eyes and knew he was right. She put a hand to her mouth in shock, "Oh my god. Faith…you didn't?"

Faith shook her head.

"No." The couple breathed a sigh of relief, but only for a moment as Faith finished what she had to say, "Buffy did"

"W-what?" Joyce asked, standing up straight, not believing her ears.

"Buffy staked him" Faith said quietly and apologetically.

"No" Joyce outright denied it, "No, she wouldn't. Buffy wouldn't. You must be wrong"

"I'm tellin' you-she staked the guy!" Faith exclaimed, "She had a stake and it went in his heart!" Faith drew back a bit after the outburst, realizing Joyce's suggestion that she was wrong had provoked her. "Sorry, it's just you know…I'm a little on edge…since…"

Giles and Joyce looked at each other.

"Well, I'm very glad you came to tell us Faith" Giles told her, as he led her back out of the office while Joyce stayed where she was, "I shall have a word with Buffy when-" He then noticed the mentioned slayer was stood in front of him. Faith stepped back out of sight. "Buffy."

"Giles, I really don't know how to say this so…" She exhaled trying to calm herself, "So I'm…I'm just gonna say it. I know I've kept things from you before but…."

Just then Faith stepped out from behind Giles and Buffy clamed up, "But I've been blowing off, uh, my classes. You know in the sense of, uh, not attending. And uh-"

"It's okay Buffy, I told him" Faith explained and Giles raised an eyebrow wondering whether the two understood the situation more than he did.

"You told him?" Buffy asked.

"I had to. He had to know what you did"

"What _I _did?" Buffy asked incredulously, so then again, maybe not. Buffy turned to Giles, as she realized what he had been told, "What? Giles, no, that's not what happened."

"I don't want to hear it Buffy"

"No! It-"

"I don't want to hear any more lies," Giles told her sombrely as Faith just looked on trying to look as sombre, but merely looking twistedly amused. Buffy turned on her.

"I can't believe this. You're setting me up?"

"Get in my office now" Giles ordered her, before turning to Faith, "Faith. I'll talk to you in the morning"

"Giles please you have to-" Buffy pleaded and Giles so how desperate she was, but he had to keep up the pretence.

"Now" He told her simply with more anger in his voice than he intended.

Buffy walked past him angrily, leaving him to speak to Faith and stepped into his office to her Mother standing there. Again.

"This would be amusing if it wasn't so not." Buffy commented.

"Buffy…" Joyce said to in a tone of voice that Buffy knew all too well.

"No, Mom, not you too. Faith-she set me up" She told her as Giles came back into the office and closed the door, "You two have _got_ to believe me. Mom, I know I've messed up before but you know me. You know I wouldn't-"

"I know" Joyce agreed, cutting into her daughter's argument.

"You do?" Buffy asked hopefully and Joyce nodded with a little smile as she walked over and hugged her daughter.

"Buffy, I would never doubt you." She told hr, "And I know before I knew you were the slayer I suspected you of a lot of indecent things but even then I knew you weren't capable of something like this"

"The murder was Faith" Giles said simply, telling Buffy he was in on it all as well, as he took of his glasses as though this would ironically bring the situation more clarity. "She may have many talents Buffy" He told as he put his glasses back on, "But fortunately lying is not one of them"

"I can't believe she tried to set you up," Joyce said with a touch of worry for her daughter and anger towards Faith.

"We have no idea how far she'll carry this charade Buffy" Giles said and Buffy frowned.

"Try like all the way" she answered honestly.

"Why didn't you tell us- me right away Buffy?" Joyce asked in concern but before she could answer, Giles said what she was going to say.

"Faith wouldn't let you?"

"Not a chance. But it wasn't all her fault" Buffy pointed out and Joyce scoffed. "Mom"

"I'm sorry Buffy, but she's just…she's lost all sympathy from me. We tried to make her feel welcome, we had her around for Christmas and then she sets you up? Uh-uh. No" She shook her head and waved her hands in one firm 'no' motion as if to emphasize the point.

"But we both thought it was a vampire. I only realized a split second before" Buffy explained but Joyce titled her head and raised her eyebrows as if this proved her point of opinion on Faith.

"Joyce, this is not the first time something of this kind has happened" Giles explained and she looked up in surprise. However, it was Buffy who spoke up.

"It's not?"

"The slayer is on the frontline of a nightly war" Giles explained automatically but regretted his choice of words immediately when he heard Joyce whimper; "Now it's, it's tragic, but well, accidents happen"

"So what do we do?" Joyce asked and Buffy took a moment to wonder when her mother had suddenly become a slayerette. Well she was if her frequencies to the library recently and her question were anything to go by.

"Well, the uh, council investigates," Giles explained, "Uh, metes out punishment where punishment is due but I have no plans to involve them" He paused to see either Joyce or Buffy would pass comment, particularly Joyce, but they didn't, "I mean it's the last thing Faith needs at the moment. She's unstable Buffy"

"You mean she's unable to accept responsibility?" Joyce asked, but her tone had ceased to be accusatory.

"She's freaking" Buffy agreed, "So we just have to help her deal right?" Buffy looked between both her Mom and Giles and noticed them share a look. It was not unlike two parents considering how to deal with a misbehaving child. This was giving Buffy the wiggins in the uber.

"She's in denial." Joyce explained with a slight shrug.

"So there is no help for her unless she admits what happened" Giles finished and Buffy nodded in acceptance. It was screwy but it made sense.

"Maybe, I-I could talk to her," Buffy suggested.

"She just set you up. What makes you think she's gonna talk things through with you?" Joyce asked incredulously and Buffy had to admit she had a point.

"Well, then…maybe one of the guys could…"

"We should meet" Giles suggested, "It may be that they're seeing a different side of her"

"What like you, me, Xander and Willow?" Buffy asked referring to the core four.

"And me?" Joyce asked, as though daring her daughter to disagree.

"Mom I-" Buffy struggled to argue, even more so when she saw Giles wasn't backing her up.

"Buffy, as much as it may surprise you I _can_ understand what's going on you know" Joyce told her with a hint of sarcasm, "Besides I'm as much involved as the rest of you"

"But we'd be meeting in school" Buffy said simply.

"I know where it is" Was her Mother's cool response and Buffy straightened up in surprise. "Being here right now also has its advantages"

"Perhaps it would be better, Buffy, if you're Mother did come along" Giles suggested.

"Hmm…." Buffy said suspiciously and the couple wondered whether the most innocent of actions would be the one to reveal the secret, but Buffy was apparently just disapproving A-B grown-up team, "As the two adults in this conversation maybe you two should just always count as one vote"

"You wouldn't be saying that if one of us were voting with you" Joyce smiled and Buffy sighed in defeat.

"Fine, Mom, you're in the know. Fine"

"In the meantime though" Giles brought the conversation to a conclusion, "No one else to know."

"Of course" Both Buffy and Joyce said in synchronization.

"I mean this is extremely delicate," Giles went on, "If we scare her off now, we may lose her forever"

None of the three knew Wesley was listening in grimly at the door.

* * *

"So maybe we should all talk to Faith together" Willow suggested in the cafeteria. It was eerily quiet and empty and all the chairs around them had been stacked up for the night. They each taken a chair down for themselves and while most were sat on them ordinarily; Xander had swerved his round to sit across it in a 'manly' way. However, this had hurt him after a while so he had opted to sit up on the table with a foot propped up on the chair. Willow also noticed that Joyce and Giles were sat very close together, the type of close that prompted the cliché 'you'd be sat on each other's knee'. She didn't get why no one else saw this? Well, Buffy it was denial and Xander…well Xander was Xander. Enough said.

"You mean that intervention thing you guys did on me?" Buffy asked.

"What intervention?" Joyce questioned aloud in confusion not really expecting an answer, but she got one from Xander anyway.

"When we found out Angel was back on the scene we did a little confrontation thing. Remember?" Xander prompted, "That Post woman was there when I told you and Giles about it when you were at…well, Giles' but you said you'd leave it up to us"

Joyce nodded, but when she'd said 'leave it up to you' she didn't know they were going to go inquisition on her daughter. If she had known she _would_ have insisted on getting involved.

"You were at Giles'?" Buffy asked with a frown.

"Anyway" Joyce said, turning to Xander and ignoring Buffy's question, "So this wouldn't work for Faith?"

"No it didn't even work for Buffy." Xander said, "If I recall Buffy nearly came to blows…which meant I nearly came to loss of limbs"

"Buffy" Joyce reprimanded her, if it was a little late the day and Buffy shrugged sheepishly.

"I don't like confrontation" She explained meagrely.

"So we can officially say Faith would be better with the one on one approach" Giles surmised and everyone nodded.

"Well I can the one…on her one" Xander spoke up wary of the eyes now on him, "Let's rephrase. I think she might listen to me. We can of have, a, um connection"

"A connection?" Buffy repeated sceptically, "Why would think you two would have a connection?" She exchanged a confused look with Willow.

"I'm just saying that it's worth a shot, that's all"

"No Xander, I don't see it" Giles argued.

"Why not Xander?" Joyce asked, looking at Giles. "Xander has as much chance as everyone else…."

"Thank you" Xander said pointedly and received a smile for it.

"But Xander's the one Faith has had least contact with" Giles explained.

"Yeah but we hung out a little…. recently" Xander went on, "And I think she might be receptive to me"

Willow got the meaning immediately and looked away from the yet again oblivious group and tried to ignore the feeling she thought might be her heart breaking.

"When did you guys hang out?" Buffy asked.

"She's fighting one of those apocalypse thingies," He explained. They must be the only group who referred to Armageddon-esque demons from hell as 'apocalypse thingies'. "And I helped her. Gave her a ride home"

"And then you…talked?" Joyce asked slowly and Xander looked embarrassed.

"Not extensively, no" He answered honestly and Joyce looked at him blankly for a moment before the connection formed in her head and she went off to a very scary visual place. She subconsciously pulled back a little.

"Oh" She said simply, trying to focus on images of bunnies and flowers.

"What, Mom, what did….oh" Buffy said, getting it herself and also sitting back in her chair trying to focus on other things.

There was a moment of silence when the three looked at Giles till he eventually also said 'oh!'. Then they waited for Willow to click but she just looked at them.

"I don't need to say 'oh', I got it before. They slept together," She told them.

"Okay, moving on, shall we?" Giles broke into the uncomfortable silence and then Buffy looked at Xander sympathetically as she explained the harsh truth.

"Alright. Look, I-I know that you mean well, Xander, but, um, I-I just don't see Faith opening up to you." Buffy tried to tell him as gently as possible but she could still see the hurt forming in his eyes, "She doesn't take the guys that she has a... 'connection' with very seriously. And they're, they're kind of a big joke to her. No offence."

"I mean sure" Xander said his voice dripping with sarcasm, "I mean why would I be offended by _that_?"

"Well," Joyce told him in a supportive tone and putting a hand on his shoulder, "I wouldn't be offended to not be considered special to a raving psychotic" She reasoned and Xander smiled slightly as the words reached him a little. However, everyone was looking at Joyce in shock at what she'd said. The blonde shrugged, "Well she is" She told them firmly.

"Anyway Xander" Giles continued, "You can always help with research. There's still the business of the mayor and Mr Trick to attend to" Joyce just sighed and guessed it was best just not to question this statement.

"Yeah, they seemed pretty cosy the other night" Buffy agreed.

"Yes, uh, Willow, could you access the mayor's files?" Giles asked and Willow was drawn out of her moment of sad reflection.

"What? Oh sure, I can try"

"Good, because clearly," Giles went on as everyone started packing up by putting the chairs back in their original places, "we need to take a harder look at him. He's obviously up to something"

"What about Faith?" Buffy asked. After all, that was why they were there in the first place and they still hadn't come to a conclusion.

"I don't know" Giles sighed, "I need more time"

"She needs help now" Buffy told him, "I owe her that." He nodded in agreement. As Buffy watched Xander leave and Willow almost ready to, she turned to her Mom. "Mom, I'm gonna be patrolling for a bit, see what I can find. Hell, maybe I'll even find Faith, but I'll meet you at home later, Kay?" She asked and Joyce nodded.

"That's fine." She agreed, and then as her daughter walked off, "Be careful honey".

Willow left soon after Buffy, but it wasn't till she was long gone that Joyce realized the redhead had left her coat behind. She picked it up intending to give it to Buffy to take with her to school the next morning.

"So, uh, how did you find our meetings?" Giles smiled.

"Interesting…considering we got nowhere," Joyce answered honestly.

"Yes, well, you'll find that sometimes" He agreed, "Still, sometimes it's good to talk things through." As they were 'talking things through', they had been automatically walking towards one another till they were stood incredibly close together.

"Buffy said she'd be out patrolling for a lot of the night…" Joyce whispered, her implications very clear.

"A whole night…" Giles echoed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her even closer. She smiled suggestively and he was reminded of the first time they…well, when they hadn't quite been themselves. He kissed her on the lips roughly and as Joyce was drawn into the kiss and wrapped her arms around him she dropped the coat she had been holding onto the floor. Just as the owner of the coat walked back into the room.

"Oh" Willow let out the noise without meaning to as she saw the scene in front of her with surprise. She'd only come back for her coat. Okay, so she'd known there was something between the two of them, but knowing and seeing first hand were very different things. She thought that she'd leave before they noticed. She could get the coat off Buffy tomorrow, but unfortunately the small 'oh' of surprise was enough to alert the couple alone and they broke their kiss slightly to look in the direction of Willow.

"Ah-uh, well," Joyce struggled for an explanation but then realized she was still holding onto Giles as tightly as he was holding onto her and she sighed, "oh crap." She said, summing up the situation in one word.

"I'll uh, I'll just go" Willow said quickly and attempted to make a dash for it.

"Willow!" Joyce called, running and catching up with her just in time to stop her leaving the cafeteria. "About that…" She started to explain just as Giles walked over to them, looking suitably embarrassed.

"It's okay" Willow interrupted, "I kind of already knew."

"You did?" Giles asked in surprise.

"Yeah, you two were kind of all over each other" Willow rushed out the words, "Okay maybe not as all over each other as I just saw you just then, but you know you were pretty darn close."

Both Giles and Joyce looked down at the ground, blushing slightly.

"Willow," Joyce said, "You can't tell anyone. Please not yet. Especially not Buffy"

"Don't worry," Willow assured her, "I mean I didn't even say anything when Angel asked me about it, but then he had figured it out himself so…" And she'd said too much again. She wished for Oz more than ever at times like this.

"Angel knows?" Giles asked and Willow noted he did not look a happy librarian.

"Kinda, but he won't say anything. He was just kinda doing that insightful thing he does so well" Willow smiled weakly.

"How did he find out anyway?" Giles asked, clearly not happy that the vampire knew.

"Rupert" Joyce said warningly, taking not of how much of a wreck Willow was looking at the moment, "It's fine. I mean no one else knows…" She saw Willow's look, "Do they Willow?"

Willow winced-she really couldn't lie. She wasn't lie girl. She really wasn't.

"Just Cordelia" She spilled out and then waited with closed eyes for their reaction.

"Cordelia?" Joyce repeated, sounding exasperated as she put her head in her hands. "How did she find out?"

"It's a gift of Cordelia's" Giles answered, instead of Willow, "Though right now I wouldn't use the term gift, but…" He realized no one was listening as Willow looked like she was in her own world, and a sad one at that and Joyce was looking at her with concern.

"Willow, what's the matter?" She asked, but Willow said nothing. She just wanted to run away and cry, but with her coat on the other side of the room, she couldn't bolt. She really wanted her coat back, "Willow is it-" Joyce had been about to ask when the teenager burst into tears and fell into Joyce's arms and she held her as she used to hold Buffy when she was upset, and still did from time to time. "Shh, shhh…" She whispered soothingly, a trick known and used by all Mothers except apparently Willow's as the very girl who always seemed so much more mature than the rest, sobbed into Joyce's powder blue shirt and grabbed at the folds. "It's okay…" She told her repeatedly in a soothing tone, although it so clearly wasn't okay. Things were obviously so very far from okay.


	7. Dopplegangland

Zigpal-Thanks for the review so much. Happy you liked the Joyce-Willow scene. Also, I've tried to make your wish my command with the slap scene (i'm here to please. hahaha), so hope it's what you had in mind. :-).

So here is another update. I'm getting quite good with these lately. I think it's mainly because I'm putting of my French studies. Why French really? ( For my french verbal I intend to say the following, if i fail to remember facts on france: Je sens un assaut d'allumer blond muet). I'll just get lost in my Art History course thank you _very_ much haha. So conclusion? Updates a plenty. Enjoy (and reveiw...mwa haha)

* * *

Willow thoughts were focused on the events that had happened over the last few days. Faith having a leading role in all of them. She sighed, why did Wesley have to screw things up so badly? While Willow herself had no problems with Faith being carted off to England, that plan only worked if you actually successfully went through with it and well, it hadn't. Success had been far from it.

"Most likely they'll lock her away for a good long while" Giles had told them when they had been discussing everything in the library and Willow had noticed that Joyce was there again. Clearly a sign that she was slowly becoming a permanent fixture in the Scooby outings.

"_So we head them off at the airport and stop them" Buffy had suggested._

"_Why?" Joyce asked the very question that had been on the tip of Willow's tongue._

"_Why?" Buffy had repeated, "Because we can't let them take her that's why."_

"_I'm with your Mom on this one Buffy," Willow had told her, wary of the look she was being thrown by her best friend, "I mean maybe I'm not the most objective. I know have issues with Faith sharing my people…" A pointed look Xander's way had revealed the meaning behind this sentence, "But she murdered someone and accused Buffy"_

"_And now Xander?" Joyce had asked, clearly on Willow's side, "Buffy, I understand you want to help her, but it's been taken out of your hands now…why not just let it be? I mean if they get her to England maybe it'd help more than…well, a group of teenagers performing an intervention."_

"_Mom," Buffy had pleaded, "I know she's out of control, but Angel was getting through to her. We just have to stop Wesley" And at that point the aforementioned watcher had walked in and they all turned to stare._

"_That's no longer an issue"_

"_You let her go?" Buffy had asked incredulously and Wesley had grimaced._

"'_Let' wouldn't be the way I'd phrase it…" He answered honestly, rubbing at his jaw suggesting he'd felt the wrath of Faith. Joyce had stood up as she'd realized how the events had unfolded._

"_You mean she escaped?" She had asked and Wesley nodded. She shook her head in disbelief, "God, could you people mess up anymore? My daughter has better plans than you" Joyce had told him and Buffy hadn't known whether to take the comment as an insult or a compliment._

"_Mrs Summers" Wesley had stated, clearly trying to exert some authority (and failing), "I am the one in charge and I did what I believed to the best for the council and for Faith-" He had been cut off mid-speech by Joyce delivering a sharp slap across his face and, not expecting it, his head had knocked to the side a little. He rubbed his face in shock. _

_"You do realize you've made things worse don't you?" Joyce had accused as both Buffy and Giles had ran over to her,_

"_Exactly," Angel had spoke up agreeing with the woman, "First you terrorize her and then put her back on the streets"_

"_Yeah great job" Xander mocked Wesley._

"_I didn't mean to" Wesley had said, taking a step back not wishing to be slapped again. Buffy and Giles were holding Joyce's arms, but he didn't quite trust that, "I just wanted to help"_

"_But you didn't" Joyce argued, and Buffy had to agree._

"_You probably destroyed her" The slayer pointed out and Willow had wondered for a moment whether Buffy was also the slapping type because if she was, with slayer strength, Willow felt that Wesley wouldn't have recovered for a _while.

"_You two, that's enough" Giles had reprimanded both mother and daughter and Willow had certainly noticed that 'mother' looked less than impressed with him. _

They had split up after that and each pair or single had gone to a different place to find Faith and it had been Buffy who struck gold. Faith was sticking around, but Willow wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. Lost in her thoughts she didn't realize when she bumped into Oz coming out of a classroom.

"Hey" She greeted him as he came out of the library. He looked back at the doors he had just exited in puzzlement, before turning back to his smiling girlfriend.

"You know those two are together right?" He asked simply as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Who?" Willow asked, for one moment living the bliss of ignorance.

"Giles and Ms Summers" Oz stated simply as he put the book back in his bag.

"What?" Willow sighed in exasperation, "Why do people keep blurting this out to me?"

"So people do know then?" Oz asked, "Cool. Coz you know, I thought it was just me. And I find keeping a secret like that isn't the thrill ride you'd expect"

"Well some people still are clue-free," Willow explained, "That is Buffy still is. And Xander" Oz nodded to show he understood.

"Buffy-vacating in not-coping land. Check. And Xander?"

"Just Xander" Willow smiled and laughed causing Oz to laugh slightly to. She had never seen Oz laugh out loud. Just smirk and chuckle quietly and coolly.

"So Cordelia and Angel…" Oz prompted and Willow finished off.

"Know"

"Okay" He paused and looked at Will, "Oh no…" He complained and Willow felt panicked,

"What? What's the matter?" She asked, but smiled when he hugged her.

"There's something that's causing me to hug you…." He teased.

* * *

"Ooh toast" Buffy exclaimed as she came into the kitchen the following morning. The night before had been an eventful patrol and with this recent enquiries and examinations by the council…well, she was famished. She grabbed a piece off the large blue plate on the island and her Mom, who had been looking out the kitchen window turned around.

"Morning sweetheart" She greeted her and then watched the teenager eat one piece of jam toast whole, "Hungry?" She asked with a smile, but Buffy's mouth was too full to answer. "I'll take that as a yes then. What do you want to drink? We have OJ, we have tea, we have water, we have milk…we can even have smoothies if you want" she added looking over at the clock on the wall and saw they had plenty of time.

"I wouldn't say no" Buffy answered after she had swallowed the toast, "But why the offer?" Her Mom was distinctly a 'buffy-get-fed-get-gone-or-we're-late' kind of person and here she was offering smoothies. With a smile on her face no less.

"Just feel like it" Joyce shrugged, a smile still playing at her lips.

"Are you seeing someone…?" Buffy asked suspiciously and teasingly as her teenage senses kicked in.

"What?" Joyce asked in surprise, before realizing that Buffy was just showing genuine interest not having a clue of the actual facts so Joyce saw it safe to play along, "Maybe…"

"Ooh!" Buffy exclaimed excitedly before pausing, "He isn't a robot is he?"

Joyce rolled her eyes.

"Are you ever going to let that go?" She asked and Buffy shook her head.

"Nope," She answered, "So this guy-he is boyfriendly?"

"He could definitely be…boyfriend potential" Joyce felt more relaxed as she talked. It was nice being able to share this with Buffy, even if it wasn't completely.

"Hmm…interesting" Buffy nodded approvingly, "Where did you meet?" Joyce frowned. Technically she met him three years ago in a hospital when a vampire had bitten her…but somehow she didn't think that answer would go down too well.

"At work" She answered safely.

"Huh." Buffy smiled, "Well things must be good if you're being all smiley and smoothy making" She took the glass of OJ that was her Mom's, since the conversation had put the smoothy on hold, and took a sip. "Must be getting serious" She teased, before jumping up, "Well gotta book. Gotta get in early for slayer testing." She rolled her eyes at her Mom as she grabbed her coat. "See you later"

"See you honey"

As Buffy left, Joyce thought over her daughter's words 'things must be getting serious'. Were they?

* * *

"Rupert, you do know you take 'workaholic' to a whole new level don't you?" Joyce teased as she watched him double check something in his office in the library. She had driven to his house to go out on their date to find him actually ready on time for once. The pleasant surprise had been short-lived when he announced he had to check he hadn't left something demon-related at the library. Seems he couldn't trust Wesley with it and Joyce didn't blame him. So here they were checking for the item that he had just found out he _hadn't_ left here. Joyce tapped her foot impatiently.

"Right, all set" He announced, leading her out the office, but the two stopped dead when they saw Buffy and Xander stood there. "Buffy, I thought you were going out tonight. I didn't expect…"

Buffy felt like she was dieing as she thought of Willow in the Bronze. Or rather the thing that was pretending to be Willow. But for one moment she was drawn out of the depression to stare in puzzlement at her Mom and Giles. Her Mom was wearing a black dress that had on it a Japanese floral design and Buffy instantly recognized it as her Date Dress. The one for the serious dates. The dates, of which Buffy constantly tried to remain ignorant of and stay in denial of the nights her Mom well, 'meant business'. Giles however was the one that shocked Buffy the most. No tweed. What he was wearing? None of it was tweed. She wanted to question it, but she just didn't have the energy. What was the point anymore? Willow was gone. She started to cry a little and Joyce ran over to.

"Oh god honey, what's the matter?" She asked, hugging her, but Buffy was now crying too much to say anything.

"It's Will…" Xander told the two.

"What about Willow, Xander?" Giles asked, as he feared the worst.

"She's…oh god," Xander tried his hardest not to break down, "She's a…she's a vampire"

"What?" Giles asked, taking his glasses off, "No, you, uh, you must be mistaken"

"No, Giles," Buffy said, as she stopped crying for a moment, "I saw her. It was her. Or the demon that looks…oh god"

"Sweetie…." Joyce said sympathetically as she held her daughter. She wanted to cry herself. Willow had been like a second daughter to her, she loved her almost as much as she loved Buffy. And now she was dead? Not just dead, but she had become the very thing her daughter had to kill.

The group just stood in silence for a while, before collapsing on the stairs that led up to the higher floor of the library. None of them knew what to say. There was nothing to say. Buffy at one point crawled away from her Mother to huddle in the corner, holding her knees. She just couldn't stand people touching her right now. She couldn't stand anything. She just wanted to get away.

Joyce and Giles, even though both Buffy and Xander were there, didn't care as they leant against one another as they sat on the stairs, and Giles had his arms around her. Both Buffy and Xander were too overwhelmed with grief to even notice.

"This isn't real" Xander spoke into the silence.

"I can't feel anything" Buffy spoke in a zombie-like voice, "Arms, legs, anything"

"She was truly the finest of all us all" Giles stated while Joyce just looked down at the ground in front of her in a daze.

"She was such a lovely girl. So innocent" She added.

"She was way better than me" Xander said and no one argued. Giles even said,

"Much, much better"

"It's all my fault" Xander confessed, putting his head in his hands.

"Where did you get that idea?" Joyce asked, not believing it and Xander looked up and shook his head and shrugged.

"Oh you know, statistical probability."

"No, it's my fault" Buffy argued.

"Buffy…" Joyce started to speak but Buffy stopped her.

"No, Mom, it is me. I was the one that called her reliable," Buffy told everyone, "She must have gone out and got attacked and that would have never happened if I hadn't called her reliable. And now my best friend is…"

At that point Willow walked into the room and they all looked up in surprise. Joyce felt sick. Was Buffy going to have to kill her friend? Now? Here? It just wasn't right. Or fair.

"What's going on?" Willow asked casually and the saw their sad, depressed faces, "Geez, who died?" They continued to stare sombrely. "Oh god, who died?"

Xander ran over, cross in hand.

"Xander!" Joyce exclaimed. She couldn't bear it if this 'willow' killed him too. But he was already shoving the cross in Willow's face.

"Get back demon! Back!" He commanded but Willow didn't react except to throw a concerned look his way. Giles, Buffy and Joyce stood up and headed over as they realized she wasn't a vampire.

"You're alive?" Buffy asked in disbelief.

"Aren't I usually?" Willow was very confused and was even more so when Buffy took her into a tight hug. Slayer hugs were not the most comfy. But before she could gasp for air Xander was also hugging her and Willow was drowning in the tight embrace. Literally. "Guys" She spoke up, "Oxygen becoming an issue"

The two jumped back apologetically.

"Okay…." Willow said in confusion, "Giles what's going-" Before she could finish the question however the normally reserved man had taken her up in a tight hug. Eventually he pulled back in embarrassment.

"Oh, uh, sorry" He apologized and Willow looked at Joyce warily. The woman had tears in her eyes and Willow wondered whether she was also going to jump on the hug bandwagon. However, she just walked over to Willow and smiled weakly, as she tried to stop herself crying. She tucked Willow's short, red hair behind her ear lovingly. She took her into a small hug, that was less tight than the others and shorter, but she smoothed down her hair like Mothers tend to do with their daughters and in fact didn't step away from her like the others did. She remained stood next to her as though afraid she was going to disappear. Willow was now officially more confused than she had ever been in her life previously.

"It's really nice that you guys missed me…" She told them warily, before a thought popped into her head, "Oh you guys didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs did ya?"

"Will," Buffy made an attempt to explain, "We saw you at the Bronze. A vampire."

Willow was at first shocked, but this quickly moved onto insulted.

"I'm not a _vampire_." She argued.

"You are" Buffy argued, but with a look from Willow she tried to correct herself, "I mean you were" God this was confusing, she thought and looked over at Giles for help, "Giles, planning on jumping in with an explanation anytime soon?"

"Well, uh, clearly, uh, something…. very strange is happening" He said.

"That's all you got for us?" Joyce asked sarcastically.

"Can you believe the watcher's council let this guy go?" Xander asked facetiously.

"So wait, you saw _me_…. at the Bronze?" Willow attempted to clear things up.

"Well Buffy and Xander did" Joyce explained, "Rupert and I weren't there" She paused, "Not that we would be there in the sense of being a 'we'. Would we?"

"And it was you Will" Buffy went on, frowning at her Mother babbling, "Except you were all vamped out."

"In every sense of the word-leather and everything" Xander went. On.

"This is creepy. I don't like the thought that there's a vampire out there that looks like me" Willow complained.

"Not looks, _is_" Xander corrected.

"It was exactly you Will. Every detail" Buffy confirmed, "Except for your not being a dominatrix…as far we know." Willow rolled her eyes.

"Oh right. Me and Oz play mistress of pain every night" She told them sarcastically but she was met with silence.

"Did everyone else just go to a scary visual place?" Xander asked, raising a hand and everyone nodded.

"How do we leave?" Joyce asked him with genuine concern. Before he could give her the step-by-step instructions of how to escape scary thoughts Angel came running in through the doors.

"Buffy…I…something's happened that…" Angel didn't know how to tell her, he really didn't so he opted to just come out and say it, "Willow's dead" He detected a movement out of the corner of his eye and saw Buffy's best friend. "Hey Willow" He greeted her and then did a double take. He looked at the group in confusion, "Wha-how, huh?"

"We're right there with you buddy," Xander told him with a nod. Angel glanced over and saw Giles and Joyce stood together, "Oh you two have-" The couple shook their heads violently and Angel stopped talking.

"You two have what?" Buffy asked in confusion.

"Yeah, what?" Xander asked, joining Buffy in being clue-free.

"Have…." Angel trailed off, "Have got to listen to what I have to say."

"Which is?" Buffy asked.

"Willow" Angel told them, "Or vampire willow. She's at the Bronze now with a cadre of vampires and looking to party."

The group stood up and started to head out,

"We figure out who she is after we stop the feeding frenzy" Buffy announced and headed out the door with Angel.

"Guys!" Willow called after them, following them out the door, "What are we going to do with me?"

As she left, Giles turned to Joyce.

"You should go home," He told her.

"But-"

"We don't know how dangerous it's going to be at the Bronze" He told her honestly, "I don't want you getting hurt" She went to argue, but he stopped her by kissing her on the lips briefly. "Please" He asked sincerely and Joyce found it very, very hard to say no.

* * *

The next night the couple were at Giles' making up for the date that had been cancelled the night before as they sat together over a bottle of red wine.

"From what you've told me," Joyce said, "I'm sort of glad I missed the scene at the Bronze. It sounds…."

"Dangerous?" He asked but she shook her head.

"Confusing." She corrected, "Which seems to be a big theme lately" She said and Giles senses a topic change as she placed her glass of wine down on the table, "With, erm, _this_."

"This?"

"What we have…going on here." She explained, "Keeping it from everyone…well, Buffy really, its getting quite complicated don't you think?" She asked and he nodded in defeat.

"I suppose so." He agreed, "We couldn't keep it secret forever could we?"

"And serious relationships should be out in the open don't you think?" Joyce asked watching for the reaction to her choice of words.

"Serious?" He asked, just as carefully.

"Well, I think what we have here counts as serious don't you?" She asked with a smile and he nodded.

"Yes, but" He thought for a moment, "Uh, do you mean uh good serious or, erm, bad serious?" He asked nervously and Joyce smiled warmly.

"Good serious. Definitely good serious" She told him, "So we tell Buffy…soon."

"Forgive me if I don't quite seem so eager for that scene to come to pass" Giles told her honestly. He had a feeling he was going to come out worse for wear after that little exchange.

"It'll be fine" Joyce brushed his concern aside, but then paused, "But maybe I should break the news to her alone…."

"I hope you won't consider me weak if I concur that suggestion" He told her.

"Not a chance" She answered honestly before the two started kissing.


	8. Enemies

Zigpal-thanken you for the review! And the scene worked for ya? Hehe. You will see Xander's reaction soon….. As for Buffy's reaction, well, you'll see that soon as well. And I agree with you that Buffy will totally freak. She will have the uber wiggins partic if she sees them haben der big smoochen. Heehee.

As for the Faith sitch, I can honestly say that she will go bad, because, well I have plans for This Year's Girl and Who Are you and it doesn't work if Faith went Tony Robbins. Although now that I think about it…it would be fun and interesting to write…..

g120-thank you very much for the review. And only one essay on time through junior high and high school? Non! Shame on you, shame. Hahaha.

* * *

I know this is really small chapter, but there wasn't much to include in this episode really. But I will have the much, much longer 'Earshot' up very soon. However despite the shortness, witness my need for reviews. You don't want me to suffer from review withdrawal now do you? Hehe.

* * *

"I'll see you soon" Angel called out to Buffy as she was dragged away by Faith. But it was a detached good bye. His mind was still almost full focused on the erotic film he and Buffy had just been to see; Le Banquet D'Amelia

"Don't worry big guy," Faith told him, "Just keeping her warm for you" Angel nodded and with a sad sigh turned to head back to his home, which was the direction that they had just come from, past the cinema. As he was nearing the cinema doors he had to dodge more and more people as they still came milling out of the screen and as the Sun Cinema was rather small it was fair to say that everyone pouring out of the screen had just seen the same film as him and Buffy. As the crowd became a little too thick as Angel tried to manoeuvre round people and found himself just nearer and nearer the cinema entrance he walked directly into one couple that he hadn't seen in time to avoid. He sighed, so much for vampire reflexes. He went to apologize to the couple that were hanging onto each other's arms, until he saw who it actually was.

"Sorry, oh-Giles. Mrs Summers" He said and they looked as uncomfortable as he felt.

"Angel," Joyce greeted him simply, her smile very strained and she only met his eyes briefly before looking down at the ground and Angel had mirrored the action.

"So, erm…cinema date?" Angel asked casually and screamed at himself inside. Why did he just draw attention to the fact they had just seen _Le Banquet_. Maybe though they had made the same mistake as Buffy and he had and thought the film was about food. The smiles on their faces, well the smiles that had been there before they had embarrassingly walked into him of all people, said otherwise and Angel looked skyward as he tried not to think so much.

"Yes, quite" Giles answered Angel and the tension between the three grew.

"Well, erm, this has erm," Joyce tried to smile again and yet again it was strained, "This, was erm, nice but…"

"Gotta go?" Angel prompted and she nodded.

"Yes" She agreed, relieved he had said it first. "It was erm, nice seeing you Angel" She told him but Angel believed 'nice' wasn't the word at all. He watched the couple walk/run off and he shook his head as he tried not to think about what they were off to do. When was Buffy going to click?

* * *

The next morning in the library, Buffy had come in with her friends to tell Giles, and technically Wesley about the salesman-esque demon she and Faith had met last night. She had had the shock of her life however, or at least the shock of the morning when she saw her Mom there with them.

"Did you get a job here and _not _tell me?" Buffy had asked looking at her friends for confirmation. No one had had time to pass comment though as Wesley had gone straight to business. Man that guy was annoying. And so here she was relaying the info.

"And you said the demons wanted cash?" Wesley asked and Buffy nodded. "That's very unusual"

"Demons after money" Giles paraphrased in disgust, "What ever happened to the still beating heart of a virgin?"

"Rupert" Joyce reprimanded in disgust and hit him on the arm. He shrugged.

"What? No one has any standards anymore."

"So I see," She replied smoothly, giving him an even look before looking back at the rest of the group. Yet again Willow wondered why she was still the only one who knew. 'Bit you on the nose' came to her mind.

"Well he said the books were worth the price," Buffy informed them.

"These books are worth five grand?" Joyce asked in disbelief, "Unless they have major historical value and would be a credit to The British Museum, I don't get why the information inside would be worth that much"

"You know, I think this highly inappropriate," Wesley announced, looking at Joyce, "I really don't approve of your involvement in all this"

Joyce squinted at him in annoyance.

"I don't like you" She told him simply and her daughter and her friends smothered a giggle as did Giles.

"Yes, well" Wesley sniffed and Buffy answered her Mom's question.

"They probably do have historical value Mom, but the information inside may be worth even more."

"Yes," Giles agreed, "The information inside may have the key to stopping the mayor and saving lives…"

"So what's this ascension mean?" Xander asked and both Giles and Wesley shrugged.

"I'm not sure," Giles told him honestly.

"It's not really a common term in demonology," Wesley added.

"Well, I suppose you can assume he becomes something else" Joyce pondered aloud and they all looked at her. She shrugged. "Well to ascend means to rise or to go up so maybe he's going to become a bigger and better" She shrugged again but Xander hopped on her thought train.

"Like when people trade in a Citroen for Jaguar." Xander said pointedly looking at Giles.

"Ooh!" Willow suddenly exclaimed as she remembered something, " The Marenschadt Text. I think in the chapter on genocide they mention ascension"

"Well we have a winner," Buffy announced proudly while Xander just smirked.

"And more importantly two losers"

"Where did you find that volume?" Giles asked even though he already knew the answer.

"In the top of your book cabinet with the stuff you try to keep hidden" She told him and he went into his office.

"Any nude engravings in there that I should see Will?" Xander asked, raising his eyebrows, but she shook her head.

"Nope. Just magick stuff Giles doesn't think I'm ready for"

"You really shouldn't do that," Joyce chastised.

"There's a lot of stuff people shouldn't do" Willow said lightly and Joyce got the point.

* * *

_"Are you sure you're okay to go through with this?" Joyce asked her daughter with concern._

_"Yeah, it's the only way" She said simply, looking over at Angel for support. He smiled back at her and she genuinely felt stronger._

_"Well then," Giles surmised, "I suppose you had better go back home Angel…and well, wait for Faith there. She's bound to turn up sooner or later"_

* * *

"Well I for one protest" Wesley went on, "You pitted slayer against slayer in a dangerous charade that could've gotten them both killed" He paused and then pointed at Joyce, "And while _she_ knew I didn't"

"I'm sensing issues with Mom" Buffy commented, then frowned herself, "What are you doing here again anyway?" She asked her, but her Mother merely shrugged in silence.

"I'm telling the council!" Wesley announced storming off, but he stopped when Giles spoke up.

"I think you should" Giles told, "We have a rogue slayer on our hands. I can't think of anything more dangerous"

"At least now we know" Buffy said.

"And we know a bit more about the mayor's ascension" Giles agreed.

"Graduation day. That's a big scary un-fun" Willow commented, not looking to the events ahead, "At least Angel's not bad though. That's good right?"

"Oh yes" Xander said sarcastically, "I'm so glad he broke my face in a good way. It's a good bruise"

"I'm just slightly concerned that when he was acting evil he complimented my hair for the first time ever," Joyce said with a frown, "He only likes it when he's evil? What does _that_ say?" Willow and Xander laughed, but Buffy didn't respond as she looked down at the floor, lost in her own deep thoughts.

"Don't be silly Joyce" Giles said automatically, sending a smile her way as he put away a book, "Your hair always looks great" She smiled back.

Xander watched the exchange with a frown and then his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.

"Oh my-she's-and he's-they are-and-she-knew and he –" Xander babbled as he realized what was going on, he pointed at the two dramatically, "But they can't-"

Willow dived over and put a hand over his mouth and led him out of the library. Once outside the doors she took her hand off his mouth.

"They're a couple!" Xander exclaimed though thankfully it was a whispered exclamation.

"Yes, yes, I know" Willow said, trying to calm him down.

"They are all together in the sense that they are a pair" Xander went on, "A pair that compliment each other"

"Yes I _know_" Willow repeated.

"That's why she's been at the library like everyday and…oh my god-when she was at Giles'!" He went on and Willow sighed. She flicked him on the arm hard, "Wh-ow! What was that for?"

"I know they are a couple" Willow told him, "But Buffy doesn't, so we've just got to keep it quiet. At least for now"

Xander sighed as he calmed down slightly.

"Oh okay, but this is just so…" He was about to say 'cool' but as he peered in through the round windows in the library doors he saw the two who he now to be a couple, step out of Buffy's line of view and lean close to each other for something Xander knew wasn't Chinese Whispers. It was then he changed his word from cool to, "_…weird_"

* * *

Joyce looked over at her daughter and saw that she had still not come out of her reverie. She walked over to her.

"Honey are you okay?"

"He was only acting" Buffy said, looking at her Mom, "It was just an act"

"Of course it was sweetie" Joyce told her, giving her a hug.

"Just an act" Buffy repeated, not quite believing her own words.


	9. Earshot

Zigpal-thanks very much for the review and since this took so long to actually get up I hope you like this chapter

* * *

Yes-the document manager finally started working again! Thank god! Gawd, it was annoying me. haha. So here is the next chapter Earshot. Hope y'all find it likable hehe, and review...(you know you want to...)

* * *

Giles was trying to explain the situation as best as he could, but Joyce already looked agitated as she sat on a seat next to the kitchen/living room alcove so he could see her and talk to her from where he was stood in the kitchen. He had recently spoken with Buffy about her hand infection from the fight with the demon and now he was trying to explain the situation to her Mother. Trying being the operative word.

"What do mean 'complications'?" Joyce asked her face etched with worry.

"Well it seems when the blood fell onto the Buffy's hand it has the possibility of being able to infect…oh buggeration" He had opened the cupboard in which the cups were kept, so many in fact that a few started to fall out and he attempted to catch them. Joyce didn't get up to help as she contemplated what he had told her in horror.

"Infect?" She repeated, before looking over at him just as he was putting the last cup back, "Infect?" He didn't answer, "Rupert" She called his attention and he looked over, "INFECT?!"

He sighed. It sometimes bordered on what no doubt Xander would refer to as 'freaky' when Joyce acted uncannily like her daughter. But then they were related, very much so. God, Buffy was going to kill him when she found out.

"Well, yes" Giles agreed, "She _could_ become infected with an aspect of the demon. What that is exactly we're not quite sure"

"Aspect?" Joyce asked, "Like demonic tendencies?" She looked absolutely terrified for her daughter, "Like…. Angel?" She asked slowly and he automatically allayed those fears.

"Oh no, no, no" He told her, "Nothing like that. Angel is a vampire. And that will never happen to Buffy. I promise"

She looked slightly calmer, but not much.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about" He assured her, walking round to hug her calmingly, "More than likely nothing will happen at all"

* * *

"This is astounding," Giles concluded after hearing evidence of Buffy's new ability, curtsey of the demon.

"It was happening in the hallway" Buffy went on, "Principle Snyder has walk like an Egyptian stuck in his head. And the boys in this school are seriously disturbed" She thought back to the sexually violent thoughts of the boy she had walked past in the corridor. She shook her head and blocked the memory from her mind, "It's weird Giles, but think about it. Think about what I could do"

"It could be very useful" Giles agreed, "You could anticipate your opponent's every move. Turn his plans against him"

"Oh way better than that!"

* * *

"This is way worse than that Rupert" Joyce argued in the library later on. Giles had called her at work to inform her that Buffy had got her aspect of the demon. Not happy having the conversation over the phone she had come straight over. Giles seemed to think it wasn't much to be made of, that everything was fine, but he just wasn't seeing the bigger picture.

"I don't understand." He told her, "If anything this could only benefit Buffy. When she's in battle-"

"No, you don't get it" Joyce shook her head, "She can read thoughts?" He nodded, "Well what if she reads…_our_ thoughts" She told him, giving him a pointed look and he soon understand.

"Oh dear lord"

"Not quite the words I was thinking of," She said, "This just means we really have to tell Buffy. Soon. So very soon"

"Quite" Giles agreed, "If she found out…well, through unconventional means-well, it could be more disastrous than if we told her ourselves"

"Plus our thoughts tend to be a little less reserved than what we say," Joyce said, "And well thoughts wander to…." She looked at him, "to…well, thoughts of wandering hands"

Giles suddenly felt very sick.

"We really have to tell her." He agreed.

"The thing is how?" Joyce asked, "I mean how do you start a conversation like this? It's not exactly something you can blurt out. Okay, maybe amongst friends you can, but she's my daughter. She freaks out when I talk about dating _anyone_." She paused, "She totally went crazy when she found me and Ted in the kitchen"

"Yes, well uh, those feelings were well-founded" Giles reasoned and Joyce shrugged in agreement.

"Still." She shook her hands in worry, "I'm nervous. Full of nerves. Nervy"

Giles cupped her face in his hands and gave her a deep kiss, which she fell into instantly. When they parted she smiled, "Okay feeling less nervous" She told him, "But just to be sure…maybe we should just… keep doing that…" They kissed again.

"Don't mind me," Xander announced and the two jumped apart, practically to other sides of the room.

"Xander, what-erm, I mean, we were, erm…" Joyce cringed inside. She really needed to get this cover-up thing down. Xander however was just smiling at them.

"It's okay, I know about you two being the two that are the two," He told them. They looked at him in disbelief, "What?" He asked, "I can't be insightful sometimes?" He felt very insulted.

"Xander what are you doing here?" Giles asked, choosing not to answer the question.

"You sent a note round class, saying you needed to see all of us" Xander explained and as Giles saw the rest trail in, Wesley included, he remembered.

"Ah yes"

* * *

"She can read our minds? Every impulse and fantasy?" Xander asked in worry later when everything had been explained. Joyce could only describe his expression as 'sick with fear'.

"Every one" Buffy told him with a smile.

"I don't see what this has to do with me," Cordelia told everyone. She was bored out of her mind that is until her eyes fell on Wesley and she suddenly felt marginally less bored.

"Well I think it's great, right?" Willow said, remaining the supportive friend. "I mean you enjoy your other slayer powers"

"Yes, but this doesn't come from being a slayer does it?" Joyce spoke up with concern and then regretted it when Buffy looked over. With her attention on her could she read her thoughts?

Buffy frowned as she listened to her Mom thinking for a moment. _Oh god. Please let her not be listening in. What if I say something embarrassing? What if…no, don't think don't think don't think. _Her Mom glanced over at Giles _God he looks so…no. Stop. He doesn't look anything._ Her Mom then looked at her with a frown of disapproval, _Buffy, are you listening in on me?_

"No" Buffy said aloud and everyone else looked at her in puzzlement. She couldn't help wondering what her Mom was thinking about Giles though. She was seriously going to have to have a chat with those two. Before she could think further on the matter though she overheard Willow's thoughts.

She's hardly even human anymore. How can I be her friend now? She doesn't need me,

"No I do need you" Buffy disagreed.

"Okay" Cordelia announced, "What are you talking about? Coz you are _so_ creepy right now"

"Um, I think their must be some precedence for these occurrences" Giles spoke up, "Joyce would you give me a hand?"

"What? Yes, of course." The two went to head into his office, but Wesley protested.

"Shouldn't I be helping with the research Mr Giles?" He asked and Giles nodded.

"Yes" He pointed to the opposite side of the room, "In that part of the library"

Stopping them in their tracks however was Buffy.

"Gawd, Xander is that all you think about?" She exclaimed and everyone turned in her direction as Xander looked panicked.

"Actually…" He began before dashing out of the library.

"Odd." Joyce commented simply.

"Xander has just illustrated something" Wesley announced, "Chances are you are going to be thinking the things you least want Buffy to hear. It's a question of course of mental discipline"

"Yes of course" Giles agreed and Joyce looked at him wide-eyed.

_Discipline?? _Buffy heard her think, _Yeah, that'll be real easy. Just like we've been so _disciplined _for all this time. Does he really find it that easy? Oh god am I obsessing? I am _not_ obsessing. Maybe I am. Or maybe he's just more… well, disciplined than I am. _She sighed _Well he was fond of handcuffs…_ Joyce turned and caught Buffy's eye.

"I have to go now," She said simply although her voice was slightly higher than usual as she grabbed her purse and left without saying bye.

Buffy frowned. Handcuffs? Why did that ring a bell? A scary bell but still. What was her Mom talking about? She was _sure_ she was missing something, possibly something right in front of her. Suddenly, Giles' thoughts invaded her mind.

_Don't think of Joyce. Do _not_ think of Joyce. Wait, where is she going?_ He saw Buffy looking at him in puzzlement; _I'm a dead man._ He walked up the stairs to the stacks. Buffy was about to work out what was going on between the two, if anything was, when Wesley's thoughts caught her attention.

_Look at Cordelia…no! Don't look at Cordelia. She's a student. Oh I am a bad man. I'm a bad, bad man. _He also caught Buffy staring at him intently. She raised her eyebrows to let him know she heard everything.

"Excuse me" He walked off into Giles' office.

* * *

It was bad enough trying to control her thoughts when she was at the library, but now at home too? When it was just her and Buffy in the house? She didn't have _that_ much self-control. If she just focused on other things and stayed in the room as little as possible. That was the key. And not to think. Be like the guy in that film…god, why could she never remember the title?….where he just kept saying 'brick wall' so the children wouldn't know about the bomb. Simple as that. She hoped.

"There, you look better already" She told her daughter with a smile and it was the truth…sorta. She just looked so tired and worn out.

"Thanks Mom"

She sped out into the hallway and Buffy was left frowning.

"I'm just going to uh, get you another pillow" Joyce called back in explanation.

"I really don't need one" Buffy called back but her Mother had already headed in with one. She put the pillow down on the end of the bed.

"But you need another blanket" Joyce pointed out; going to leave again but Buffy shook her head.

"Um, Mom I'm fine"

"How about some soup?" She offered with a smile, "Chicken and stars."

"Mom," Buffy pleaded, "Please just come sit with me" She was surprised to see her Mother take a few steps away from the bed nervously.

"I've got, uh, laundry" Joyce made excuses, stepping a little further back.

"Why are you…" Buffy asked in confusion, but then she heard. She sat upright in bed, "You had sex with Giles?!"

"Well…" Joyce winced, "It was the candy…" Just tell her that and she could explain the rest later.

"Wait, you had sex then _too_?!" Okay, apparently that wasn't the time she'd been thinking of. She hadn't meant to think of the other times, the times after the dates, but-

"Oh my god, you _dated_ him?" Buffy asked in disgust and Joyce immediately thought _Dating actually_. She shut her eyes tightly as she tried to ignore the fact that Buffy would have heard that. "Mom! How could you-why has this-Omigod! That's why you've been at the library!" Buffy acknowledged in shock as her Mom started to leave the room. "You've been…god I can't even say it! With Giles???!!"

"I'll be downstairs" Joyce said, stopping for a moment to look back in the room, "You feel better" She hurried off to hear her daughter call after her,

"For THREE MONTHS?!"

* * *

Buffy for the first time in 24 hours didn't have a headache and she was finally gaining consciousness from passing out from the pain.

Joyce and Giles were sat on the bed, their arms around each other supportively, as they waited for Buffy to wake up and they breathed a sigh of relief when she eventually did.

"Angel…" Buffy murmured.

"Thank God" Joyce exclaimed in pure relief, "Are you alright? Do you hear thoughts?" That was a question she never thought she'd ask. Ever.

"No" Buffy answered and then as she came completely to she saw the cosiness featuring between her Mom and Giles, "But I know what I see…." She said squinting at the two and they instantly let go of each other, their hands dropping to their sides. Before she could get mad though she realized there were more important things going on, "Did you find the killer?"

* * *

"So you, uh, know everything?" Giles asked Buffy as they all sat in the living room of the Summers' home.

"Enough" Buffy answered simply.

"Honey, we wanted to tell-" Joyce started but Buffy interrupted.

"Was it before or after you guys were turned into teenagers?" She asked and both Joyce and Giles felt they were being interrogated as they sat together on the sofa and Buffy had a seat on the chair opposite them.

"After" Joyce told her honestly.

"So, what? This is just based on…well, teenage _lust_?" Buffy asked in utter disgust.

"What? No!" Joyce told her, "I mean sort of…in the fact that that's what started it, but it isn't just based on that"

"I liked your Mother long before then" Giles admitted and both Buffy and Joyce turned to him surprise.

"You did?" Joyce asked with a smile and he nodded.

"The candy just took away adult inhibitions…so that was uh, the first time I had the guts really…" Joyce smiled.

"I liked you before too" Joyce admitted, "I mean when-"

"Okay guys off-topic" Buffy interrupted and they looked at her. She sighed in frustration putting her head in her hands, "I just don't get _this_. It's too weird. I mean Giles you're…you're _Giles!_"

"Believe it or not Buffy that thought hadn't escaped me"

"And it's _Mom_." Buffy sighed again, "I-,uh god…"

"Buffy I know you might be a bit upset…." Joyce reasoned.

"Oh no this isn't upset" Buffy told her, "This is confused to the point of self-destruction." She shook her head in disbelief, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because your reaction _clearly_ inspires confidence" Joyce answered sarcastically.

"Well, how did you expect me to react Mom? Really. This is bad. A whole world of badness"

"Buffy…" Joyce said warningly and Buffy looked up at her.

"Sorry, I just-how serious _is_ this?" She asked, thinking maybe this was a passing thing and they would go their separate ways soon. One could hope. However, Giles' answer dashed all those hopes.

"Very" Giles answered and both Buffy and Joyce looked at him. However Buffy was a surprise mingled with shock and a little disgust, whereas Joyce was smiling widely.

"I just need to think…for a while…away…from here," Buffy told them, grabbing her jacket and heading out the door before they could even ask where.

"Well no broken bones as of yet" Giles commented.

* * *

"Your Mom and Giles? No way" Angel said to Buffy, attempting to act ignorant.

"Way-way." Buffy was pacing while Angel sat down on the out-of-place sofa, "They're all couply and hand-holding and…I don't know how to deal with this" She sighed and took a seat next to Angel.

"You could start by saying you're fine with it" Angel suggested, but Buffy wasn't convinced.

"Am I though?" She asked, "I don't think I am"

"Why not? You know Giles is a good guy-he's not gonna hurt your Mom" Angel reasoned.

"But he might" Buffy argued in honesty, "I mean relationships do that-they go badly. Even with like the _best_ of intentions. And then if they break up, am I going to have to be mad at Giles? Treat him like I treat Wesley?" Angel shrugged.

"Maybe they won't break up," He reasoned.

"But that way lies weirdness and more problems" Buffy pointed out, "What about if he starts staying over, or hanging around the house all the time? What if I want to watch an old movie with Mom but then Giles is there and we're not watching the movie we wanna watch anymore and I'm not spending my time with my Mom I'm just spending time in the same room that Mom and Giles are spending time together" She realized she was rambling at an alarming rate and stopped.

"You think too much, you know that?" Angel told her and she smiled slightly.

"I've been told that"

"So just play it by ear" Angel advised her, "Just see how things go. Don't create problems where there aren't any." She thought on that, "You want your Mom to be happy don't you?"

Buffy thought about that. Of course she did. She didn't want anyone to be lonely. She'd said as much to Miss Calendar….Buffy looked at Angel.

"Thank you"

* * *

Giles and Joyce were sat close together talking when Buffy walked back in an hour later. She was relieved to find they were just talking and weren't doing anything else.

"Buffy, you're home" Joyce greeted her as though Buffy herself would not have noticed this.

"Yep, back in the old revello drive residence" Buffy agreed, "Erm, I, erm, need to talk to you guys"

"Do you want to sit down?" Giles asked but she shook her head.

"No…no. I think it's better if I stay stood up" She took a deep breath as she got ready for what she was about to say, "you two really had me having the uber wig with this whole relationship thing you've got going on. And I'm still not sure what I think of it coz pretty much all I'm thinking right now is 'ohmigodohmigod' over and over again. But erm, of all the things I think…someone just made realize that I don't think anyone just be lonely. Or unhappy. Or both. And you seem to be making each other happy right now…right?"

The couple looked at each other.

"Very happy" Giles answered.

"Just what I was going to say" Joyce agreed and Buffy watched in morbid fascination as the two leaned in towards each other closer and closer…

"Okay!" Buffy yelled out and the two broke apart, "I said I was okay with it. That did _not_ mean permission for PDA in front of the teen." The couple smiled. "Giles, can I talk to you alone out here for a minute?" Buffy asked, pointing to the hall.

"Of course" He nodded and got up and followed her.

"Now you two are all steady and such and this is very cute I'm sure," Buffy said to him in a rush before looking at him with a steely glare, "But if this ever _ceases_ to be cute and my Mom becomes very not okay, I _will_ make you pay"

"Buffy, as much as your protectiveness towards your Mother is very honorable, I have no intention of hurting Joyce"

"People don't need intentions. Sometimes it just happens" Buffy said sombrely.

"Yes, it does" Giles agreed without argument.

"So we're clear?" Buffy asked, "She gets hurt…you die" Despite the threat Buffy smiled at him to let him know everything was okay between them. "Well, I've gotta go. Meeting the gang and all" She announced as she and Giles headed back into the living room.

"Will you be slaying?" Joyce asked as Giles sat down next to her. Buffy tried to remain ignorant of the fact that he would be staying here while she was out. They weren't exactly going to be watching _Days of our Lives_.

"Possibly just Xander" Buffy answered jokingly. "I'll catch you later"

* * *

As Buffy arrived at the Espresso Pump she saw the whole gang was already there. She walked over, wondering what they're reactions would be to the recent news.

"Hey guys!" She greeted them and while everyone murmured back a hey, Willow's 'hi' was a lot more lively and girl-friendly as a best friend's hello should be.

"You are never going to guess what just happened" Buffy said to them as she took a seat.

"A vampire braved the sunny daylight?" Xander asked and Buffy threw him a look.

"No" She said simply, "You know like Mom and Giles have been acting really weird

lately? Well here's the uber wiggins-they are well all dating and such." The all looked at her without reaction. "They're going out together…" Buffy prompted in explanation and the group exchanged glances with each other before bursting out with

"Oh my god! No way!"

"Who'da thunk it?"

"Well that surprised me more than I've ever been surprised"

"I never suspected a thing"

"Me neither."

"Whoa."

"Completely. Totally. Mind-blowingly shocking"

* * *


	10. Choices

Midnightobsidian-thank you very much and as you can see…I have continued haha.

Zigpal- Buffy will find out how long they knew for (I don't think she fell for their lies from the off. Hehe) but twill be in a while and thanks for the review.

* * *

So here is the next chapter; choices. Tis rather long but hope you like and review like you've never reviewed before! Hehe

(And appreciate my effort in typing this as at the time my 'U' key wasn't working too well in the sense that it wasn't.I had to like hit down really hard and never till now did I realize how many words have U in it. Haha)

* * *

"Sounds like your Mom's in a state of denial" Willow acknowledged at lunch. She, Oz and Buffy were sat outside at one of the school's picnic benches.

"More like a continent," Buffy paused, "I think maybe I should join her there"

"Huh?"

"This morning when she came into the kitchen gushing about my results…Giles was with her," Buffy told them.

"Huh" Was all Oz had to say.

"That's nice them spending time together" Willow said, her naivety once again shining through.

"Willow it was half eight in the morning" She told her friend simply, but she still didn't get it.

"So?"

"Will, the only way for him to be there _that_ early was if he had spent. The. Night," Buffy explained slowly and Willow's eyes widened.

"Oooooh!" She said in realization and Buffy nodded.

"Exactly" She sighed, "It's fine and all…it's just I don't think I can take seeing a reminder of it everywhere I go. Not just yet anyway"

"Well, he is going to be hanging out a lot more…" Willow reasoned "Or maybe your Mom will be over at his house more or the library…and…this…isn't what you wanted to hear is it?"

"I think it's cool" Xander commented from his seat under the tree and Buffy raised an eyebrow at him.

"You dated Cordelia," she stated simply and he shrugged in acceptance.

"Sure I've flaws in the romance quarter of life…. but still, you don't think it's kinda cool?" He asked, "I mean now you no longer have to worry about Giles being seduced by demon women and your Mom won't be dating anymore robots. Or weird guys who have a strange love for the circus"

"It's all good I know…" Buffy admitted, "But it doesn't mean I have to like it"

"Just accept it contentedly," Oz advised.

"Exactly!" Buffy agreed, but then realized she hadn't quite heard him and could have been agreeing to anything, "I think…"

"Maybe just focusing on your colleges is the way to go" Willow advised, "Feed that denial"

"Yeah," Buffy agreed, "It is getting pretty hungry…" She picked up one of Willow's acceptance letters, "I still can't believe you got into Harvard…"

* * *

Just one night to get away from it all. Everything that was going on. Buffy was taking charge of the mayor situation and she and her friends were getting organised and so Giles had time on his hands, more than a few hours in fact, which was why he was sat here in a beautiful restaurant with a beautiful woman. Her dress-well, black and backless was definitely her style and the black made her dark blonde, curly hair seem lighter and it lit up face. He realized he was staring. 

"What are you looking at?" She asked, as she put down her menu and caught him staring. He smiled.

"You"

"I figured as much," She teased, "But why?"

"Because I like to." He answered simply and she blushed slightly.

"Just so you know though, I feel a bit nervous when you do" She decided to shift the topic, "Well, our first official date. That is, one where we don't have to worry about having to hide under tables"

"Yes, it is, uh, rather nice not have to worry about being caught" He agreed.

"Kind of exciting though…" Joyce teased with a smile. "Having to hide from everyone…keeping it secret…."

He raised his eyebrow at her.

"Are you saying, perhaps, that now it's out in the open, this relationship has lost his appeal?" He was teasing, but inside he really wanted to know the answer to a genuine question.

"No." She told him, "Just nice…in a different way. In a relationship way"

Giles picked up his glass.

"To our first official date" He toasted and they chinked glasses.

"To our first official date" Joyce repeated, taking a sip of her wine. A figure appeared at the table and she looked up at what she thought was a waiter, "Willow" She stated simply.

"Willow what are you doing here?" Giles asked and then thought for a moment, "How did you know we were here?"

"Erm-Buffy told me." Willow answered the last question first, "I'm sorry to come over like this and…well, but Giles, we kind of need your help. We found out what the mayor's up to…sort of, but we kinda need you to help."

Giles really didn't want to leave, their date hadn't even started and now it was being forced to finish? Nothing about that was fair, but then again, this was the life they all lead. Which meant there was rare time for normalcy. He turned to Joyce.

"I am sorry Joyce, but, well, uh, duty calls" He got up to leave but she reached across the table and grabbed his arm.

"Oh no, I'm coming to" She told him, standing up with him.

"Joyce…" He tried to reason but she interrupted him before he could.

"No. Buffy has always tried to keep my out of her slayer affairs and I accepted that, but…well…I think it's time that changed." She admitted, "Too many people I care about are involved and well, it's part of your life. A huge part of your life and well…I want in" She smiled in determination.

"But Joyce, I'd be so worried if you were going to-" Giles argued.

"Deal" She told him simply before turning to Willow "Lead the way"

Giles couldn't deny she was a stubborn woman. He liked that about her. Well, it was one of the many things he liked.

* * *

They had drove to the library separately; Willow in Oz's van and both Giles and Joyce in the Citroen. As soon as they had arrived (after Buffy's momentary shock and protest against her Mother's presence there followed by acceptance) they had been updated on recent events and now they were working in a fluid motion to bring everything together. 

"The Box of Gavrock" Buffy read from a book "It houses some great demonic energy or something which the mayor has to chow down on come a-day."

"Demon take-out" Oz acknowledged.

Giles, Willow and Joyce came in through the library doors. Both Giles and Joyce were carrying large drawings that had the possibility of being blueprints.

"What's that?" Wesley asked.

"Maps. And stuff" Giles quoted Buffy from before in answer.

"Plans for City Hall. They were in the Water and Power mainframe," Willow told them and Joyce smiled.

"She's such a computer whiz" Joyce said, having never seen Willow's brilliant ability to hack in before, "I knew she was good, but…"

Willow smiled, obviously very proud of the compliment.

"The box is being kept under guard in a conference room on the top floor" Buffy pointed out a place on the map, "There. Unfortunately that was all I could get out of my informant before his aggressive tendencies forced me to introduce him to Mr Pointy"

"Mr Pointy?" Her mother asked in confusion.

"Stake of preference" Buffy answered and her Mom nodded in acceptance, and then paused in confusion.

"You named your stake?" She asked and Buffy shrugged.

"It was pre-named by a friend" They turned back to look at the plans.

"Now here's what I think we should do…" Wesley began.

"I'm thinking I go in through the skylight. I'll take Angel with me" Buffy said.

"Agreed"

"And there's a fire ladder on the east side of the building" Xander pointed out, "here"

"Yes, yes fine" Wesley tried to bring himself back into play, "but we still need to consider whether the mayor-"

"It won't be enough to simply have possession of the box" Giles interrupted and Willow nodded in agreement.

"Right, we have to destroy it. Not just physically but ritually-with some down and dirty black magic" Joyce looked at her, "Which isn't really that black. More like a dark grey."

"Hang on" Wesley spoke up again, "We don't know what sort of ritual it would require"

"Oh, Rupert found something about that before" Joyce answered.

"Yes," Giles agreed, "I think the Breath of Atropyx is standard for this sort of thing. Fairly simple recipe. Xander?"

Wesley attempted to read the book over Giles' shoulder but he had already handed it to Xander.

"I know" Xander said, "I'm ingredient getting guy"

"A vital role" Oz told him, "I'll help"

"Alright stop!" Wesley exclaimed, reaching the end of his tether, "I demand everyone STOP this instant! I'm in charge here and I say this is all moving much too fast. We need time to fully analyze the situation and devise a proper and strategic stratagem"

"Wes" Buffy told him, "You need to hop on the train or get off the tracks"

"Because you see" Joyce added, "The third choice doesn't have too good an outcome for you"

Wesley looked at them worry flashing across his face for a moment. He wasn't too fond of the mother-daughter one-two team.

"The mayor will most assuredly have supernatural safeguards protecting the box" He was met with silence and he smiled smugly, "Oh we all forgot about that did we?"

"Looks like a job for Wiccan girl" Buffy said turning to her friend, "What do you say Will? Big time danger"

"Hey I eat danger for breakfast" Willow replied bravely.

"But oddly enough" Xander commented, "She trembles in the face of breakfast foods"

"Let's get to work," Buffy announced and the group left the library. Giles shoved a map into Wesley's arms before walking off himself. Wesley contemplated whether to follow or not for a moment, before realizing he didn't really have a choice and he walked after them.

* * *

That night the whole group except for Xander and Oz, who were working back in the library, arrived at City Hall in the van. Giles was driving with Joyce riding shotgun and Wesley sat not quite at the back but directly behind the two front seats. Joyce couldn't help noting that the image was extremely comical. 

"Now remember if anything should go awry," Giles said as Willow, Angel and Buffy climbed out of the van, "We will create a diversion"

"Let's synchronize our watches" Wesley suggested, "I have twenty one four…" He trailed off as he saw Willow and Buffy holding up bare wrists. He rolled his eyes, "Yes, typical"

"Maybe we should just count" Willow suggested, "One one-thousand, two one-thousand…"

Joyce smirked, before becoming serious.

"Please be careful," She told them.

"Always" was Buffy's reply before the three set off.

Wesley sat back into a seat in the back of the van in exasperation. Once he was out of sight Joyce employed a we-can't-see-you-so-you-can't-see-us policy and shuffled over closer to Giles.

"So, what are we going to do while we wait?" She asked him in a tone that suggested she knew exactly she wanted to do while they waited.

"Calming your nerves might be, uh, a good thing" Giles suggested.

"Mm-hmm…" Joyce nodded as the two leaned towards each other and were so close to having a long-delayed kiss when Wesley spoke up.

"I really don't appreciate that while I'm still _in_ the van," He stated and Joyce pulled back from Giles with an annoyed sigh and a roll of the eyes. She turned to glare at Wesley.

"You can't pretend to be non-existent for one minute can you?" She asked him angrily, when she spotted a velvet pouch on the floor of the van. She leant over and picked it up, instantly recognizing what it was.

"It's Willow's potion pouch," She said, "Doesn't she need this for the box spell thing?" She asked, looking at Giles.

"Oh god, yes" Giles agreed, realizing. Joyce started to open the car door, "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking it to her" She answered simply.

"Joyce, just wait until they come back, I don't want-"

"I'll be fine," She told him before he finished his sentence. He finished anyway.

"Anything to happen to you"

"It won't. Promise" She told him, leaning over the car seat to kiss him. The kiss was longer and deeper than she intended, her initial intentions to be a brief, warm kiss that would tell him she'd be back safe and sound soon, but the moment her lips were on his she got carried away. As the kiss deepened and the passion unavoidably rose she eventually pulled away and broke the kiss, "Promise" She repeated, getting out of the car.

As she walked off in the direction the group had headed she heard Wesley murmur something but she heard Giles loud and clear when he said

"Oh do shut up"

* * *

In the wrecked conference room the Mayor surveyed the destruction left behind by Buffy and Angel. Vampire guards stood nearby with their heads hung down in shame, or fear. The Mayor felt either feeling would be appropriate. 

"Well this is very unfortunate" He complained, "I just had this conference room decorated for Pete's sake. At taxpayer's expense no less and oh yeah…" He turned to the vampires as his cheery façade melted away. He kicked a chair in anger and it splintered, "They got my box"

Suddenly Faith walked in holding onto two women, a knife at both their necks. If they mayor wasn't mistaken he recognized them to be the slayer's witch friend and the slayer's mother. Both had a look of intense fear on the faces that was, if he was not mistake, mixed with a touch of defiance. Feisty for people going to die.

"Hey but looky what we got" Faith said to him and he smiled widely.

* * *

"How could you let…how did this happen?" Buffy asked in panic. Both her mother and willow were nowhere to be seen which could only mean one thing-the mayor and Faith had them. 

"We thought they both stayed with you" Giles said, sounding as distraught as Buffy felt and he ran his fingers through his hair in stress.

"They must have grabbed them when they hit the ground" Angel guessed, "I'm so sorry Buffy"

"Look it's nobody's fault" She replied, "We just need to focus and deal" She glanced at Oz and Giles both of which were wearing matching expressions of worry and fear, "I will not let them hurt them okay?" If anything happened to her Mother…or Willow, she was going to personally kill Faith herself.

"We go back." Xander said, "Full on assault"

"They'd kill her" Giles said then corrected himself, "Them. We need to do something though, fast."

"We're assuming they haven't been killed already," Wesley said, but everyone purposefully ignored him and what he had to say, except for Buffy.

"No-they know what they mean to us. They're too valuable as long as we have the box"

"We trade" Giles said, taking the words right out of Buffy's mouth.

"We can't" Wesley argued.

"Yes we bloody well can" Giles replied in anger.

"It's the safest way," Buffy agreed. "We could call the Mayor and arrange a meeting"

"This box needs to be destroyed," Wesley insisted.

"I need a volunteer to hit Wesley" Xander asked and he couldn't ignore the fact that Giles stepped forward slightly and apparently neither could Wesley.

"Giles, we are talking about saving thousands of lives, you know I'm right about this"

"And I'm talking about saving the woman I love" Giles automatically argued and then there was an utter silence in response to his choice of words.

"He's talking about Mrs S right?" Xander whispered to Oz.

"Although he's fond of her, I don't think he sees Willow that way" Oz murmured back, deadpan.

"Is that true?" Buffy asked Giles carefully, "Do you?"

"I well, uh" He took off his glasses for a moment before putting them back on again, a clear sign he was nervous from the attention being paid to what he was saying, "I hadn't really thought about it before, but, erm, yes, I suppose so…yes. Yes I do." He admitted and Buffy didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure what she thought. On the one hand it meant her Mom had finally found someone decent who cared a lot about her, loved her even. Yet, this also meant that their relationship was definitely in a state of extreme seriousness and Buffy didn't know whether she was happy about this or whether she just had the uberwig.

"Can we get back on task, _please_?" Wesley interrupted the moment and everyone glared at him.

"Joyce is right," Giles told him, "You can't even pretend to cease to exist for one moment can you?"

"Wesley you wanna duck and cover at this point?" Buffy asked threateningly.

"Damn it you listen to me!" Wesley shouted, "This box is the key to the mayor's ascension. Thousands of lives depend on getting rid of it. Now I want to help them as much as the rest of you but we will find another way"

"There is no other way," Buffy argued.

"If we don't make the trade then both Joyce and Willow _will_ die," Giles said.

"This is the town's only hope of survival," Wesley pointed out, before adding to Buffy, "It's your chance to get out"

"You think I care about that?" Buffy asked in disgust, "It's my mother and my best friend. Are you made of human parts?"

The group broke into a large argument as everyone spoke at once and didn't listen to each other.

"You'd sacrifice thousands of lives?" Wesley asked above the din, "Your family and friends?"

Giles grabbed the collar of Wesley's shirt and shoved him up against the wall angrily. Wesley couldn't hide the fact that he felt very frightened, but he still couldn't deny that he felt himself to be right, threatened or no.

"Joyce and Willow _are_ our family and friends," Giles told him, "Now if you think for one minute we're going to-"

Giles was interrupted mid-threat by the crash of the pot containing the means to destroy the box being thrown into a glass cabinet by Oz. Giles let go of Wesley as the whole group looked at each other realizing the decision had been made by the most quiet of the group.

"Giles, make the phone call" Buffy said.

* * *

"God these windows won't budge" Willow complained as she tried to break out of the room for the fifth time in the past minute. She and Joyce had been thrown into the small office room after Faith had presented them to the Mayor with a knife at their throats. She wondered why they hadn't been killed then, but then maybe she shouldn't question a good thing. 

"Is there no way out?" Joyce asked again, searching herself for an escape route. She noticed a cloth hung up over an area of the wall that bore resemblance to a tapestry. She instinctively reached up and pulled it down to reveal a door. "Willow" She whispered.

"Ooh!" Willow exclaimed quietly, "Door-good in so many ways"

Just before Joyce went to open it though it was opened from the other side and the two women saw one of the vampire guards stood there. He grinned evilly, his fangs shown and his ridged face became more grotesque. Before Joyce could take a step back, he grabbed her tightly on the arm.

"Well if isn't the slayer's Mom…" He commented and she tried to shake off his grip.

"Get off me" He wasn't for letting go though and he was too strong for her.

"And where might you two have been going?" He asked, stepping into the room, but still not letting go of Joyce so she was forced to walk after him.

"Looking for sucking candy?" Willow said and the vampire let go of Joyce to prowl over the red-head, "because my mouth gets dry when I'm nervous or held prisoner against my will" Joyce saw Willow glancing at something on the desk. She looked in the same direction and saw files… "And suddenly I'm thinking sucking isn't a good word to use around vampires…" Pens…. "Hey! Did you get permission to eat the hostage?" Pencil…wait, was that it? Pencil? Pencil _could_ be used as a makeshift stake. "I don't think so" Willow carried on talking to the vamp nervously, "You're going to be in some trouble when…Ow" She complained as he backed her up into the wall.

"Just a little taste…" He said, but just as he leaned forward to bite into her neck he turned to dust and as the air cleared Willow saw Buffy's mom stood there holding the pencil and looking more than a little startled.

"Very good" Willow said, relieved she hadn't become a vamp snack.

"It was actually my erm, my erm first, erm-" Joyce stuttered.

"Dusting?" Willow supplied and she nodded.

"Uh, yes, pretty much"

"Well it was a very successful first go." Willow told her, "Now let's go ourselves"

The two headed out of the other door and into the hall. However they soon heard the voice of the Mayor and Faith coming down the corridor and so they dived into another room to hide, but left the door open so they could listen in.

"She's not gonna be brain-dead," Faith said to the Mayor conversationally, "but she'd be to come back here tonight"

"Ever had a dog?" The Mayor asked and Faith was understandably confused by the topic shift.

"What?"

"I did. Rusty, Irish setter. A dog's friendship is stronger than reason, stronger than it's own sense of self-preservation. Buffy's like a dog" Joyce let out a gasp of indignation, "And" The mayor continued, "hey, before you can say Jack Robinson, you'll get to see me kill her like one" This threat was clearly too much for Joyce.

"That evil son of a-" She said, automatically going to head after him, but Willow stopped her.

"Come on" Willow headed off down the corridor in the opposite direction of the Mayor and Joyce followed, but the witch stopped when she realized they were passing the Mayor's office and she headed inside.

"What are you doing?" Joyce asked, but following her nonetheless.

"Maybe we can find something out about the mayor. Something that could stop him." Willow explained as she opened the cupboards and saw all sorts of arcane, dark objects not the least of which were skulls. Willow didn't like to consider who or what they belonged to. Her eyes settled on the books on the bottom shelf, "_Or_ possibly the books of ascension" She said, taking a seat next to the books. Joyce spent a second worrying about being caught, before she was drawn in herself and she sat down next to Willow.

"These were what Buffy and Rupert were after?" Joyce asked and Willow nodded.

"Yep, the key to the Mayor's ascension."

The two grabbed some books each and had been skimming through for a while when a voice drew them back to reality, or rather the non-textbook reality.

"Check out the bookworms" Faith commented with a twisted grin.

"Faith!" Willow exclaimed in shock and both she and Joyce jumped up, the two of them feeling more vulnerable if they remained sat on the floor.

"Well, Joyce, officially joined the Scooby gang now have ya?" Faith asked, brandishing a knife "Reading away with little Nancy Drew here. Didn't Buffy ever tell you that'd get you into trouble? Because now you both know too much and that just naturally leads to killing"

"Maybe," Joyce admitted, "Not necessarily with us two on the receiving end" Faith raised her eyebrows at the reply.

"Huh, you've got a feisty confidence there Joyce" Faith commented, "It's pointless and incorrect…but I can definitely see where Buffy gets it" She headed forward with the knife.

"Faith! Wait!" Willow stopped her, "We wanna talk to you"

"Oh yeah, give me the speech again" Faith prompted, "Faith we're still your friends. We can help you. It's not too late"

"You really like hearing yourself speak don't you?" Joyce asked, but it wasn't really a question.

"And it's way too late" Willow added and Faith looked at her in genuine surprise-she hadn't expected that, "You know it didn't have to be this way, but you made your choice. I know you had a tough life. I know that some people think you had a lot of bad breaks. Well, boo hoo! Poor you. You know you had a lot more in your life than most people"

"Buffy and I-we invited you into our home, we had you over for Christmas, the group couldn't have involved you more and you still threw it in our faces" Joyce told her, "They even helped you through and backed you up when you killed a man. What the hell more did you want?" Joyce's tone at the end had moved from angry to exasperation as though she really didn't understand Faith anymore and doubted whether Faith understood herself.

"All that huh Joyce?" Faith asked and Joyce yet again felt a twinge of annoyance that she was calling her by her first name while people like Willow and Xander were referring to her as Mrs Summers, "All the while you were all _praying_ for me to be more like Buffy, none of you ever thought I could be as good as your _heavenly_ daughter!"

"And, well, we can see how _wrong_ we were" Joyce said sarcastically and got slapped across the face hard for her troubles.

"You don't know anything about me!" Faith screamed at her and Willow spoke up.

"We know you were a slayer and now you're nothing." She told the slayer and carried on talking despite the psychotic look in her eyes warning Willow to stop, "You're just a big selfish, worthless waste"

Faith thumped in the jaw and the impact knocked Willow to the floor.

"Willow" Joyce exclaimed in worry and went over to check she was okay. With one strong arm though she was intercepted by Faith.

"You hurt me, I hurt you" Faith told Willow who was still crumpled on the floor, while still holding Joyce back, "I'm just a little more efficient."

Willow got up again, rubbing her jaw.

"And here I just thought you didn't have a comeback"

"You're begging for some deep pain," Faith told her.

"I'm not afraid of you" Willow replied but couldn't hide the fact her eyes widened in fear a little when Faith held up the knife again.

"Let's see what we can do about that" She grabbed Joyce who was closest to her and put the knife to her throat.

"Girls, I hope I don't have to separate you three" The Mayor spoke from the doorway, "Faith you can play with your new toy later. Something's come up" Faith still didn't remove the knife from Joyce's throat, "Faith. You know I don't like repeating myself" Faith dropped the knife and shoved Joyce back towards Willow.

"I've got someone. I got him," Faith told them, taking a seat on the Mayor's desk.

"Yeah, coz that's something to shout proudly from the rooftops" Joyce rolled her eyes.

"I just received a heck of an interesting phone call," The Mayor told them.

* * *

The cafeteria had seemed a relatively safe place for the gang to wait until the lights went out without a switch being flicked. 

"Guess they're shy" Xander commented.

"I can see alright," Angel told them as he watched two vampire guards push open the cafeteria and let the Mayor walk through. He was followed by Faith holding onto both Joyce and Willow. Buffy stepped forward as did the Mayor till they were practically in arm's reach of one another.

"Well this is exciting isn't it?" The Mayor chuckled out of context, "Clandestine meetings by dead of night. Exchange of prisoners. I feel we should all be wearing trench coats"

Giles couldn't take his eyes off the fact that Faith was holding a knife tightly against Joyce-the sort of tight that any small movement could cause her to be killed in an instant. It was only this that stopped him charging across the room.

"Let them go" Buffy ordered.

"No" The mayor replied simply, "Not until the box is in my hands. So you're the little girl that's been causing me all this trouble. She's pretty Angel. A little skinny. Still don't understand why it couldn't work out between you and my Faith. Guess you have a strange taste in women"

"What can I say?" The vampire shrugged, "I like 'em sane"

Both Willow and Joyce whimpered slightly as Faith tightened her grip on them threateningly.

"Angel…" Oz said warningly.

"Well I wish you kids the best I really do" The mayor spoke directly to Buffy and Angel, "But if you don't mind a bit of fatherly advice, I, uh, I-I just don't see much of a future for you two. I don't sense a lasting relationship. And not just because I plan to kill you. You two have a bumpy road ahead."

"I don't think we need to talk about this" Buffy interrupted.

"God you kids you know" The mayor whined, "You don't like to think about the future. You don't like to make plans. Unless you want Faith to gut your mother and your friend like a sea bass, show a little respect for your elders."

"You're not my elder" Angel argued, "I got a lot of years on you" The Mayor used Angel's words to his own advantage.

"Yeah, and that's just one of the things you're going to have to deal with. You're immortal she's not. It's not. I married my Edna May in oh-three and I was with her right until the end. Not a pretty picture. Wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth. Wasn't our happiest time. And let's not forget the fact that any moment of true happiness will turn you evil. I mean, come on. What kind of a life can you offer her? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing. I see skulking in the shadows, hiding from the sun. She's a blossoming young girl and you want to keep her from the life she should have until it has passed her by. My God! I think that's a little selfish. Is that what you came back from Hell for? Is that your greater purpose?"

Angel and Buffy looked at each other, uncertainty flickering clearly in their eyes despite the darkness.

"I don't think it's any of your business either way" Giles spoke up, catching the Mayor's attention.

"Well, you haven't got exactly the ideal relationship have you?" He asked, "The mother of the slayer has complications of it's own, but not just everything that goes with it. You're constantly in danger everyday-she's going to worry constantly. Not exactly healthy is it? She's going to want to be there, make sure you're okay which leads to things like…this" He gestured back at Joyce being held by Faith, "It's not a safe lifestyle is it? Just by being with her you're putting her in danger everyday. You won't be able to save her every time. Gosh, you didn't save the computer teacher did you? Miss Calendar was it?" No one had anything to say and Mayor Wilkins shook his head in disgust, "Make the trade," He told everyone.

Faith shoved Willow and Joyce forward just as Buffy passed her the box. Willow ran to Oz and Buffy turned to see her Mom run into Giles' arms, obviously petrified.

"Well that went smooth-" The mayor was interrupted as two policemen and Principle Snyder walked into the room.

"Nobody moves!" Snyder commanded and the Mayor moved into the shadows so he wouldn't be seen while one of the policemen locked the cafeteria doors ominously. "I knew you kids were up to something…"

"Snyder get out of here," Buffy told him.

"You're not giving orders young lady," He replied.

"Oh for god sake's listen to her," Joyce pleaded and Snyder frowned.

"Why do I know that voice?" He peered through the shadows, "Mrs Summers. I shouldn't be surprised that this is a family business…"

"What?" Joyce asked in genuine confusion.

"I suppose you're going to tell me I won't find drugs in this box," Snyder said, taking the box from Faith and handing it to a policeman.

"Wait!" Buffy exclaimed seeing Faith pulling a knife on the principle.

"Principle Snyder" The Mayor stepped out of the shadows and Snyder jumped in surprise. "I think we have a problem"

"Mr Mayor, I had no idea you…I'm terribly sorry"

"No it's I who should apologize," He told the Principle, "Coming down here at night, what must you be thinking? But you see-" He spotted the policeman opening the box, "No, I wouldn't do that if I were you" Before he could stop however a spider creature jumped onto the policeman's face and he dropped the box as he tried to pull off the creature and failed. He fell to the floor lifeless. Horrified by the sight, Joyce buried her face in Giles' chest so she didn't see what he did-the spider climbing off the face of the policeman and scuttling off to some unseen area of the room.

"Oh god" Wesley panicked.

"Where did it go?" Xander asked, resisting the urge to jump up on a table.

"Get that door open!" Snyder told the policeman.

"No!" Giles stopped him and the policeman nervously dropped his keys, "You can't let that thing out of here."

"It's still around?" Joyce asked. Several things creeped her out and spiders were in the top three.

"I still want to know where it went," Xander repeated, looking around the ground around him nervously.

"Listen" Buffy shushed everyone and as they fell quiet they could hear the scuttering of the creature's legs. Everyone looked around in puzzlement, trying to figure out where it was, but the question was answered when it dropped onto the Mayor's face.

"Boss!" Faith shouted, running over and pulling it off his face. The spider dropped to the ground and ran off again. The Mayor sat up and everyone watched in morbid fascination as his face self-healed.

"Wouldn't leave that open" The mayor advised, glancing at the still open box. Buffy dashed forward and slammed it shut just as another creature was about to climb out and she cut off three of it's legs with the lid. Suddenly one of the spiders dropped onto her own back and as her reflexes kicked in she lay down flat and heard the satisfying squelch of it being squashed. Downside? Her clothes were ruined.

"No!" Wesley screamed, thinking the knife was aimed at him as he hadn't noticed the creature crawling up the wall behind him, He ducked just as Faith threw the knife and it landed squarely in the middle of the spider.

As the mayor picked up the box, Oz had to ask the question that was on everyone's minds.

"Is that all of them?"

"Ah not really" Mayor Wilkins answered honestly, "You see there's about fifty…billion of these happy little critters in here. Would you like to see?" The remaining policeman finally opened the door and raced out, closely followed by the two vamp guards. "Raise your hand if you're invulnerable." The Mayor smiled when there were no replied, "Faith, let's go" Faith just looked at her gift embedded in the spider on the wall. "Faith" Faith continued to stare for a moment, before giving up hope on retrieving it, before following the Mayor.

The group sighed a silent sigh of relief when she and therefore the last of the Mayor's entourage left and noticed that Snyder was still in the room, holding a stool in front of himself protectively.

"Snyder you alive in there?" Buffy smirked.

"Why couldn't you just do drugs like normal kids?" He asked, shaking his head and leaving and still refusing to put the stool back down.

"Well that went swimmingly" Wesley summarised.

"We did alright" Buffy half agreed, looking at the group.

"Are you okay?" Giles asked her Mom and Buffy couldn't help listening in.

"I've been better" Joyce laughed, if a little weakly. "I was just so scared" She admitted and they hugged each other tightly.

"I love you, you know that" Giles told her. He had been initially worried about what her reaction would be, but after listening to what the mayor had to say, he had become determined to say it no matter what.

"I love you too" She replied immediately, but still not pulling out of the hug which suggested she thought saying it was a natural thing to do. She pulled her head back slightly to reach up to kiss him. He kissed her back warmly, the two a little too shaken up for the passion that had arose earlier in the van. "Didn't break my promise did I?" She asked him and he frowned. "I said I'd be fine and I am….ish." She smiled and the two kissed again.

Buffy had listened in to every word and although she had immediately looked away when the kissing started, she thought maybe she was more okay with the Mom/Giles thing.

* * *

"You're still thinking about what Mayor Wilkins said aren't you?" Joyce asked as she took a seat on Giles' sofa beside him. 

"What?" He asked.

"You've been off and quiet all night" She told him, "You're thinking about what he said in the school the other night."

"Maybe"

"He's evil." She reminded him, "Why pay attention to what he said?"

"Because some of it was true" Giles answered honestly, "You wouldn't have been there if we hadn't been dating, and if you hadn't been there you wouldn't have been kidnapped…being with me puts you in danger. I should know. I've seen it often enough over the years"

"Rupert" She decided to level with him and she looked him in the eyes, "No one, I'm sure, quite had the life I have. Let's face it with Buffy being the slayer I'm in danger anyway. Let's not forget that the first time we met was because I was in hospital from a vampire bite. And then there was parent's evening. And Ted. And the eggs from the health class that turned us all into Zombies…then the _actual_ zombies that came to my house…" He didn't look convinced, "I'm never going to be totally safe or immune from the supernatural things going on in your life. As was proven by the event that started all of this…eating chocolate had always been a guilty pleasure but that took it to new heights." He laughed a little, "_But_ I think I'd be a little bit safer if I know I've got you there, looking out for me"

"I'll always look out for you," He told her automatically and honestly.

"Then there's no problem, is there?" She asked before she kissed him to stop him asking any more questions, or thinking at all. He still went to speak. "No more talking," She told him firmly and when she kissed him again, harder and more passionately this time, he found it hard to disagree as, mid-kiss, he took off his glasses and placed them on the side.


	11. The Prom

g120- Haha, I know my updating is being quickedy paced hehe but I'll let you in on a secret. I'm writing this in my procastination regarding college papers. haha. Terrible I know. I living in the happy go lucky land of denial. Cheers for reviewosity.

Zigpal- Gave me a happy when you said you thought including Joyce made the episode better. And I actually did consider having Buffy deck Welsey but I was thinking on it and I realized Buffy would respond by trying to find her own way of quickly saving Willow and Joyce while Giles would tend to respond violent (a la Ripper ya see) ;-) Thank you vair much for le review

* * *

Ooh coming to the end of Season 3 hehe so I was wondering, as I_ am_ going to write Cocorific Season 4 hehe, is there anything in paticular you guys oot there would want to see in season 4? Any particular ideas you think would be good? Insight is always appreciated after all. I mean I have some plans already, but like I said- your insight is of the good.

So anyway, here is The Prom. Tis another short chapter though, sorry.

* * *

"I can't believe you let me talk me into this, I feel so watched" 

"That's because you look so stunning" Giles replied smoothly and Joyce hit him on the arm playfully.

"It's a lie, but a nice lie" She reasoned and shrugged, "So I'm willing to accept it"

"Giles, Mrs Summers" Xander walked over to them strain evident in his voice.

"Xander," Joyce greeted him and then saw the brunette stood beside him, "Is this your girlfriend…. date?" She changed her choice of words when she saw the look in his eyes.

"Yes" Xander told them in way that showed them he was a little less than thrilled, "Please, talk to us" Giles and Joyce just looked as though they wanted time to themselves and so Anya filled in the silence by talking directly to Xander and ignoring the two adults.

"And then this one time a girl wished her ex's heart would break like he broke hers-now that was a tricky one." Anya went on, "but eventually I got it right. You see I created a glass effect on just his heart and then well, let's just say he passed out from the agony, _before_ he died. Now _that_ was definitely a good one"

Joyce looked something between confused and…no, she was just confused.

"Anya used to be a demon" Xander explained, again with the strained smile, "She delivered vengeance on men for scorned women. Isn't that fun?"

"The funnest" Joyce admitted without enthusiasm, before turning to Giles, "Shall we dance?" He was prevented from answering though when Buffy walked into the room in her pink prom dress. "Buffy" Joyce immediately headed over and Giles followed. Xander attempted to follow himself but Anya held tightly onto his arm and led him in the other direction, retelling more gruesome tales of her vengeance days.

* * *

"Coolest" Buffy answered Oz's question, "Devil dogs are history. How's the prom?" 

"Strangely affecting" Oz admitted, "I got all teared up when they played 'we are family'."

"Everything's perfect" Willow said and Buffy smiled.

"Everything…" She trailed off as she saw two people walking over. One she expected; another she didn't, "Everything except the fact that my mother's here." She turned on her friends accusingly, "What is my mother doing here?"

"Giles' date?" Willow offered lamely.

"Buffy you're okay" Joyce said as soon as she arrived at the group. As Buffy looked at her powder blue, knee-length, off-the-shoulder-and-sleeveless dress she couldn't help realizing that her Mom had recently been expanding her wardrobe in the date-dress department.

"Yes, I'm fine" Buffy answered quickly before asking the desperately needed to be asked question, "Mom, _what_ are you _doing_ here?"

"I'm here with Rupert" Joyce answered as though it were obvious, "Even chaperones get to bring a date"

"You didn't tell me you'd be helping with the chaperoning though," Buffy complained and Joyce rolled her eyes.

"Well, _obviously_"

* * *

As they listened to the awards ceremony, Joyce was taken painfully back to her own prom. She'd hated the awards ceremony then and she sort of still saw it as pointless. Course, back then it was because she didn't have much interest in High School full-stop and she had been more interested in getting Hank away from his date…but still, as the people were given awards for various titles she couldn't help noticing that the people who should really be awarded were forgotten for people who were loud and not very talented, but certainly dragged attention to themselves. She watched as Xander cursed for not getting the Class Clown award and although she couldn't quite get why he coveted the title so much she saw it as another classic example. Jack Mayhew was the loud type who got attention and everyone laughed at but weren't really sure they liked them so he got the vote, whereas Xander was quieter and likable so he got shelved at the back. 

"We have one more award to give out," Jonathon announced on stage and Joyce looked at Giles in puzzlement, she was sure the ceremony was over, but he looked as puzzled as she did, "Is Buffy Summers here tonight? Did she…um…" Joyce gasped as the spotlights found Buffy on the dance floor getting a drink from the punch bowl. "This is actually a new category" Jonathon admitted, "First time ever. I guess there were a lot of write-in ballots, and um, the prom committee asked me to read this. We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you, but that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's not secret that Sunnydale High is not like other High Schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here"

"Zombies!"

"Hyena People!"

"Snyder!" A third pupil shouted and there was a titter of laughter.

"But whenever there was a problem" Jonathon continued, "or something creepy happened you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any gradating class in Sunnydale history." The crowd erupted into applause, but Jonathon still had more to say, "And we know that at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers it's thanks and gives you, uh, this" He opened up a miniature, glittering umbrella that sparkled beautifully under the lights. "It's from all of us and it has written here 'Buffy Summers. Class Protector'"

As the crowd broke into a sustained and positive applause Buffy walked nervously to the front, smiling and as Joyce watched her daughter she immediately felt herself getting emotional.

"Oh" She said, as she tried to swat away tears but to no avail.

"What?" Giles asked, wondering what was wrong.

"Oh it's nothing." Joyce said, "It's just they did all this for her and it just show how much…" He words ceased to make sense as she went into a mini cry that dissolved her words and they just became a high-pitched mumble. She leant into Giles as she cried and as he put his arms around her, slightly puzzled, he saw that although she was crying she was smiling. Xander looked over and caught Giles' eye and raised an eyebrow in question. Giles shrugged in puzzlement and they both simultaneously knew that it was a 'woman thing' and neither of them were ever going to get it.

* * *

A little while later Joyce had stopped the emotional cry-out and had dried her tears and suitably fixed her make-up, refusing to just leave it. Everyone on the floor was dancing to what Joyce found herself to know was 'Wild Horses' by The Sundays. Some of Buffy's constant music had to have sank in after all 

"Well, how about that dance?" She asked Giles just as Wesley came over.

"Mr Giles, I'd like your opinion." He said, "While the last thing I want to do is model bad behavior in front of impressionable youth, I wonder if asking Miss Chase to dance would be…"

"Cordelia is waiting for you to ask her to dance over there" Joyce pointed her out on the dance floor, "She clearly wants you to ask, so why do you need _anyone's_ permission?"

"Well, uh, improper conduct Mrs Summers" He explained, "I don't wish to uh…"

"For God's sake man" Giles interrupted him, "She's eighteen and you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Just have it will you and stop fluttering about." He told him, before turning to face Joyce, "Dance?" He asked, offering his arm and she smiled.

"Love to" She answered and the two walked onto the dance floor leaving Wesley feeling quite awkward.

As they were dancing, or rather doing that side-step-dance thing that people have a tendency to do in slow dances. Buffy headed over.

"Hey" She said and the two stopped dancing and faced her. Joyce was practically beaming.

"I'm so proud of you Buffy" She smiled.

"You did good work tonight" Giles added.

"Thanks. And look," She held up the award, "I got a little toy surprise."

"I had no idea children en masse could be so gracious" Giles admitted and Buffy smiled and nodded.

"Everyone now and then people surprise you"

"Every now and then" He agreed as he looked past her and took the umbrella from her hands. She looked around and saw Angel stood there and she walked over to him and both Joyce and Giles stood watching for a moment.

"He's leaving town after the Ascension you know" Giles said, having no clue of Joyce's intervention from earlier on in the week.

"Is he?" She asked, "Maybe it's for the best…." She reasoned and he nodded.

"Perhaps. Doesn't make it any easier though"

"I know but…no sad thoughts for tonight." Joyce told him, "If Buffy can enjoy the moment, why can't we?" She took the award from his hands and closed it up and held it herself as she put her arms back around him and they fell into the same dance they had before they has spoken to Buffy.

As she danced, Joyce's thought again strayed to her own prom night and meeting Hank. That had started off good and ended badly. The kind of bad that had left her shy for a very long time. She looked up at Giles.

"This is a stick-around thing isn't it?" She asked and he looked down at her, surprised by the question. "I mean you're here to stay? This is?"

"Of course…" He answered honestly, but still not understanding why she had asked.

"Good." She smiled, "Just checking" She reached up slightly as they danced and they kissed, feeling just like a normal couple in love.

_"And wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away…"_


	12. Graduation Part One

Zigpal- Thanks for the reviewation. Glad you liked it (my intention all along was to be the kicker of asses. hehehe) and when I start season four, since you have no requests, but I hope you'll like it. Already written Parker plans so... teehee.

* * *

So here is the penultimate chapter of season 3. Reviews are like the gift of life.

* * *

"You know, we…should…really be focusing…oh, the, uh, Mayor's ascension…" Giles said between kisses. Joyce had come to the library for what intended to be an update on the Mayor situation but for some reason he had lost his topic direction of conversation completely…in fact they were no longer having much of a conversation at all. 

"We will…" Joyce told him breaking away from the kiss for a moment, "in a minute" She kissed him again hard and passionately. She didn't know what was the matter with them- her- them. It was like they were teenagers again not being able to keep their hands off each other, but they couldn't blame it on candy this time. If she had to blame it on anything she would blame The Mayor (which was ironic considering his band candy involvement). With the Ascension drawing ever closer and with none of them having any clue how to survive it, never mind stop it, well, emotions were running a little higher than usual. He returned the passion in the kiss without question and as the two locked themselves in a passionate embrace that depended with every second, the only reminder to the oblivious couple that they were still in Giles' office in the library was when they accidentally bumped into the desk, knocking the items on it slightly. It was as though he was Ripper again- full of fire, passion…full of life. She loved and enjoyed every second as he pulled her closer to him as she went to do the same and they became so close, it was almost to the point of fusion and they knocked the desk again and a pencil fell off and rolled onto the floor out of the room.

* * *

Buffy was storming in the direction of the library, newspaper in hand when she saw Wesley in the corridor heading the same way. She grabbed his arm, and dragged him along with her at the same fast pace she was going. 

"Hey-hey!" He immediately exclaimed in surprise.

"We've got a Faith Update," She told him as they walked through the library door. "Giles?" She called and got no answer, but she heard a bang from the office and saw a pencil roll out from the room. She handed the paper to Wesley and walked forward slowly to pick up the pencil. Once she did she carried on walking slowly to the office where it had come from. She walked into the doorway and saw her Mom and Giles sat on the desk, basically, making out. She cringed in disgust.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed, "Are you guys like, teenagers or something?" She asked in disgust as the two broke apart, looking slightly embarrassed, "God-could you be focused on what we have to do about the Mayor for _one_ minute?" She went to leave the office and then looked back at them for a moment, "And _please_, could you learnt the art of The Lock? For crying out loud" She stomped back into the main area of library.

Wesley looked up at her from reading the newspaper article he had been handed.

"What's the problem?" He asked and then saw Giles and Joyce sheepishly walking out of the office, "Ah I see"

"So, uh, Buffy" Giles said, heading over to her, "I assume you've found something of interest"

She snatched the newspaper away from Wesley again and held it up so her Mom and Giles could see the headline: PROFESSOR FOUND MURDERED.

"Faith" She said, explaining it all in one word.

"You sure?" Giles asked while Joyce took the paper to have a closer look.

"One of her pieces" Buffy confirmed, "I recognized the brush work"

"Oh my god, I knew him" Joyce told them, looking up from the article.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"He liked coming to the gallery a lot. Liked the primitive Nigerian pieces the most" Joyce explained and then shook her head in disbelief and disgust… "Oh god." She put the newspaper down on the table grimly and leant against Giles for support. He kept one arm around while he reached with the other to pick up the paper to examine the article himself.

"Brutally stabbed, professor of Geology" He frowned, "There's nothing in here that bellows motive."

"Faith's crazy" Joyce said, "Does she need motive?"

"If she's working for the Mayor she does," Buffy reasoned.

"Random killing perhaps?" Wesley theorized, "Fit of rage? Everyone does seem to be going a bit mad recently and Faith has something of a head start"

"I believe that's what I just said," Joyce told him, slightly annoyed. She was warming up to inexperienced watcher, but something he could still piss her off.

"And _I_ said it doesn't read" Buffy said, "I think it's homework"

"The Mayor wants the good professor out of the way" Giles realized.

"Which leads to the question how come?" Buffy asked, "I'm going to destroy the entire city but I take the time to kill harmless Lester first?"

"Maybe he knew something that could help us," Joyce suggested with a slight shrug, unsure whether her hypothesis was right or not.

"Tying up loose ends" Giles agreed, "Lester had something or knew something"

"Then I wanna know too," Buffy told them, "The mayor's trying to hide and I say we go seek"

"Ah!" Wesley exclaimed, "by attempting to keep a valuable clue from us, The Mayor has inadvertently led us straight to it."

"What page are you on Wes, coz we already got there" Buffy told him and he frowned slightly and Joyce stifled a laugh.

"Yes, well, you will go tonight. Search his apartment, anything of not report back here" He ordered

"I love it when you take charge you man you" Buffy teased and he looked confused.

"Does…was that a yes?" He asked, "I have trouble keeping track"

"Well it's a good suggestion" Joyce reasoned amiably and Buffy nodded in agreement.

"So yes I will go"

"Oh" Wesley said happily, "Does that mean you two are going to be…less hostile?" He chose his words carefully.

"We're warming up to you just a little bit," Joyce told him with a smile and at the feeling of being accepted finally Wesley smiled back a little.

"So I'll go do the apartment-rummage thing," Buffy said

"Oh but Buffy, be careful," Joyce told her in worry, "What if Faith turns up or-"

"I don't think she will" Buffy interrupted her mother's worry rant, "Been there, killed that. She's not much for follow-up"

"Nonetheless keep watch," Giles advised, "Faith has you at disadvantage Buffy"

"Because I'm not crazy or because I don't kill people?"

"Both actually" Giles admitted.

"I hear you" Buffy agreed, "I can't kill her, as fun as it may sound. But I can make her cry uncle and I mean to."

"Don't let your feelings about Faith interfere with your work" Wesley warned her and she rolled her eyes.

"Stopping Faith _is_ my work. Take a beat to love the synergy"

"Yes but Faith is a footnote" Wesley reminded her, "Our priority is stopping the ascension."

"Easy said than done monkey boy," Xander announced coming into library with Anya in tow.

"Xander why did you bring your prom date?" Joyce asked him with a frown.

"She's not my prom date," He said, then frowned, "Well she is, but she's also the only person who's ever _been_ to an ascension"

"Oh" Joyce frowned at him for a moment as she considered the sentence, "You have an odd taste in women" She told him not unkindly and Xander found the sentence highly ironic considering he still had the hugest crush on her daughter.

* * *

In the library, the entire group was sat down at the table as Anya explained her experiences of Ascension and the more she explained the more worried everyone became. 

"It doesn't sound like Lo-Hash. The rituals are all different" She pointed out just as Oz and Willow walked into the room.

"I wish that was a relief," Giles said and Joyce shook her head in agreement.

"But it's more like remember- what you don't know _can_ kill you"

"What's going on?" Oz asked.

"How come evil girl's in the mix?" Willow looked less than impressed.

"Anya witnessed an ascension" Giles explained.

"Oh okay then" She accepted, taking a seat with Oz next to Joyce.

"What about the spiders?" Buffy asked, "We can't forget them"

"Oh, but let's just for a moment" Joyce pleaded, shivering at the memory and Willow mirrored the action, having the uber creeps from spiders herself.

"Well he had to eat them didn't he?" Buffy carried on, ignoring them both, "It was a box of…I wanna say Grav-Locks."

"Gavrock" Giles corrected and Anya shook her head.

"Doesn't ring a bell…" She told them honestly.

"Well there must be something you can remember that could be helpful" Buffy was getting desperate-they had no clue how to stop the mayor and she hated feeling desperate.

At that moment the Mayor entered as though he belonged, though he was thankfully alone. Everyone stepped back a little as he headed toward them.

"So this is the inner sanctum," The mayor commented, looking around, "Faith tells me this is where you folks like to concoct your little schemes. I tell you, it's so nice to know that some young people are still interested in reading in this modern era. So what are you kids reading nowadays?"

He stepped forward to reach for a book and it was only Giles who didn't flinch at the proximity and stood his ground. He did however move slightly so he was stood directly in front of Joyce protectively. They Mayor smirked at this as he picked up one of the open books.

"The beast shall walk upon the earth and the darkness shall follow" The Mayor read aloud, "The several races of man shall be as one in their terror and destruction. Aw, that's kind of sweet- different races coming together."

"You never even get a little tired of hearing yourself speak do you?" Buffy asked and the Mayor chuckled before looking directly at Joyce and Giles.

"That's one spunky little girl you two've raised." He commented with a smile, before his face became deadly serious "I'm going to eat her"

Anger searing through him at the threat towards the person he loved as much as he would love his own daughter, Giles grabbed a sword off the side and pierced directly through the Mayor's heart. Wilkins stumbled back in shock from the impact.

"Whoa!" The mayor exclaimed in shock, gesturing towards the sword impaling him, "That was a little thoughtless." He pulled the sword out of his chest with ease, it having caused him no pain at all but it had made Giles feel a little better, "Violent outbursts like that in front of the children? You know, Mr Giles, they look to you to see how to behave" He looked over at Buffy again and Joyce stepped out from behind Giles to step in front of her daughter just as protectively, if not more so, despite the fact if the mayor did make a move she would be able to do very little to stop him.

"You stay the hell away from my daughter," She warned him angrily.

"And what exactly were you going to do?" The Mayor laughed jovially but his question and intentions were clearly anything but jovial.

"Enough" Joyce answered simply; "Now get out" Buffy stepped out from behind her Mother so she could warn off the Mayor as well. She didn't have to say anything; the look on her face was enough.

"Well," The Mayor laughed slightly, "You two make quite the pair don't you?"

The two didn't answer.

"I smell fear," He acknowledge as he wiped the blade clean slowly, "That's smart. Some of your deaths will be quick if that's worth anything. Well see you all at graduation" He tossed the sword back to Giles carelessly and started to depart, "You don't want to miss my commencement address." He called back, "It's going to be a heck of a speech"

"Well that was decidedly awful" Giles summarised after Willow and Oz had left and Xander had run after Anya. It was now just him, Joyce and Buffy left in the library.

"Wouldn't be _quite_ how I'd phrase it…" Joyce agreed, looking over at him. She instead saw Buffy's concerned face. "Honey, what's the matter?"

"Well, besides the obvious, we need to get you out of here" Her daughter replied.

"What? Out of the library? Why…"

"No-out of town. For graduation." Buffy explained, "You need to be far, far away from here."

"Oh no, I'm not going anywhere" Joyce argued.

"Mom this is bad. Like really big sort of bad and I can't have you here when it comes down." Buffy sighed, "I can't save the world and worry about you"

"Buffy you know I can't leave-"

"Giles" Buffy pleaded to him and he sighed regretfully as he looked over at Joyce.

"Joyce, love, perhaps it would be safer if…"

"Oh no, Rupert, don't you start too" Joyce stopped him and looked over at Buffy, "That was a really low blow. I won't have you both telling me what to do. I'm a grown woman and I can make my own decisions."

"Decisions that could get you killed!" Buffy exclaimed.

"I've done fine so far haven't I?" She challenged them, "And Xander and Cordelia-they are _just_ as ordinary as I am and they're staying aren't they?" Neither answered, "And I'm staying too. I've made my own decision and it's final," She told them, leaving no opening for argument as she walked out of the library.

Giles and Buffy looked at each other not sure which one should go after her, but knowing for both to go would be too much. Buffy shrugged.

"I guess you should go and make with the calming thing. It what, erm, boyfriends do right?" She shrugged again, feeling uncomfortable with the term. He smiled at her warmly in thanks, before running off after her Mom and Buffy set off to Professor Wirth's apartment.

* * *

"Joyce!" Giles called down the corridor, running after her and he was relieved when she actually stopped. She turned around to face him as he caught up with her. 

"I don't appreciate you two working _around_ me like that" She told him, speaking loudly to be heard over the teenagers milling past them. "I'm not a child"

"I know, it's just…we both want you to be safe…and well, out of danger"

"See there you go again" She gestured, "making my decisions for me. Do you know how _frustrating_ that is?" She asked, emphasizing every syllable in the word 'frustrating'. She sighed, realizing he looked hurt. "Look I know you're just looking out for me, but I can't just _leave_ when the two people I care about the most are staying to fight some evil politician" At that, several kids passing by through the couple an odd look.

"I understand that" He whispered, "But can we discuss this back in the quiet of the library?" She nodded and he took her arm and led her back to the SHS unused library. Thankfully when they walked in they saw that Wesley had left for somewhere and they were now alone in the room and Joyce wasted no time in carrying on with the conversation.

"I don't get it," She said to him, "You let Xander and uh, Cordelia, you let them stay and fight, but me? You can't wait to get rid of. Is that it? You just don't want me in this part of your life? I know that's how Buffy feels"

"That's not it at all" He replied honestly, walking forward to grab both her shoulders so she'd be forced to look directly at him as he spoke to her, as if to prove he was speaking the truth "I want nothing more than, well, for you to have a part in every area of my life…but this, this is so dangerous…and I've seen too many things…buried too many people- and I don't want you to be another one."

She pressed her lips together in consideration as she wondered how to reply. She could see what he was saying and she found it very sweet and romantic how protective he was of her, but when it came down to it, it was her decision and she had firmly decided to stay.

"I'm not going to be," She told him confidently. "Promise"

"I believe the last time you made a similar promise you and Willow were both kidnapped by vampires" Giles pointed out and she shrugged.

"Merely a blip" Joyce excused it, "Not due to happen again for a long time."

"Y-You don't know that" Giles argued, "No one does. No one knows what's going to happen, that's what makes this all so dangerous. You could-" He was interrupted by her kissing him on the lips. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Calming your nerves," She answered, paraphrasing him from before, taking off his glasses and placing them on the side before kissing him again. It was only a moment of worried resistance before Giles completely gave into the kiss and as the passion from earlier on returned he couldn't help himself as he took her in his arms and his hands started to wander.

Joyce was unable to ignore the tingles that were sent up her spine when his hand up under her blouse, across her bare skin. Aware that the library was a vulnerable place to be, the two led each other towards Giles' slightly-more-private office and, taking Buffy's advise, locked the door behind them.

* * *

"Giles!" Buffy called out in panic as she led the wounded Angel into the library. "Giles!" She called again as she sat Angel in one of the chairs and he winced as sitting down caused him some pain. Buffy went to shout again but turned around to see her Mom and Giles already stood there. "He's hurt. Badly. Faith." 

"Okay" Giles accepted, immediately going into action as he broke off the arrow shaft where it entered Angel's back.

"Okay on three" Buffy told him, taking hold of the arrow "One" She pulled the arrow out and Angel almost cried out with the pain.

"I knew you were gonna do that"

"Not to much blood here" Giles acknowledged, taking a look at the wound.

"I heal pretty fast. I should be alright" Angel assured everyone, but mostly Buffy.

"I'm just glad Faith's such a suck shot" Buffy thanked as she dabbed at Angel's wound.

"You sure it was her?"

"Well I've narrowed down my list of one suspect," Buffy told Giles, turning to look at him. Her eyes landed on her Mother's shirt. "Mom, your blouse buttons don't match towards the top" She told her naively.

"Oh do they not? Whoops" Joyce said, blushing slightly as she fixed them and Buffy's naivety dissolved.

"Oh never mind" Buffy said believing that if she ignored the topic her mind wouldn't become forever scarred resulting in lots of expensive therapy. She looked back at Angel.

"Fascinating" A voice said from behind the stacks and everyone jumped and were extremely confused until Wesley appeared from behind the stacks.

"What are you doing up there?" Giles asked, but Joyce had another question.

"How _long_ have you been up there?"

"Long enough," was his only answer, "Anyway," He carried on, heading down the stairs towards the group, "It seems our Mr Wirth headed an expedition in Hawaii, digging in old lava beds near a dormant volcano"

"I'm not fascinated yet," Buffy told him honestly.

"He found something underneath" Wesley explained further, "A carcass, buried by an eruption"

"A carcass?" Joyce asked, wondering whether she actually wanted to know the answer.

"A very large one. Mr Wirth posits that it might be some hereto undiscovered dinosaur"

"A demon?" Angel asked, though it wasn't so much a question so much as an acknowledgement.

"Yes that would be something the Mayor would want to keep secret" Wesley agreed, "If it's the same type of demon he's turning into and it's dead, it means that, well, he's only impervious to harm until after the ascension. In his demon form he can be killed"

"Great" Buffy said sarcastically, "Now all we need is a billion tons of lava. We're saved"

"It's a start," Angel said, attempting to stand up but stumbling.

"Okay you have been a real klutz today" Buffy told him, referring to him tripping over the threshold of Lester Wirth's home earlier on.

"Damn" Angel murmured before collapsing on the floor and Buffy instantly leaned over to help.

"Was there something on the arrow?" Joyce asked with genuine concern and Giles took a closer look at it.

"We'll have to run some tests"

"He's burning up" Buffy told everyone as she felt his forehead.

"That's just like a fever though, right?" Joyce asked and Buffy shook her head.

"He's essentially dead Mom-no heat is pretty much a fever for him" Buffy explained, showing how bad the situation really was.

"It's poison, I can feel it" Angel spoke up.

"Call the others" Giles ordered Buffy, "Get them here. We need to move him to the safety of his own bed before sunrise"

"Will you be able to find out what this is?" Buffy asked, worried.

"The council has all know toxins natural or otherwise on file" Wes informed them, "I'll contact them immediately"

"Thanks" Buffy said with a genuine smile Wesley's way, before she turned back to Angel, "You're gonna be okay" She told him although she knew everyone was uncertain.

* * *

"Wouldn't," Wesley admitted to Buffy, Joyce and Giles as they stood in Angel's mansion, "It's not council policy to cure vampires" 

"But Angel isn't an ordinary vampire" Joyce pointed out, "Didn't you explain…the…" She struggled to find a word, "Circumstances?"

"Not under any circumstances and yes I did try to convince them" Wesley told them honestly and there was a slight sound of regret in his voice.

"Try again" Buffy ordered him and Joyce put a hand on her shoulder lightly to calm her down.

"Buffy, they were very firm" Wesley explained, "We're talking about laws that have existed longer than civilisation"

"I'm talking about watching my lover die" Buffy was bordering on hysterical, "I don't have a clue what you're talking about and I don't care"

"Buffy we'll find a cure" Giles assured her.

"The council's orders are to concentrate-" Wesley began.

"Orders?" Joyce scoffed, "You tell her this and then expect Buffy to take _orders_?"

"She is the slayer and in that capacity-" Wesley replied but was interrupted again.

"I don't think I'm going to be taking anymore orders" Buffy informed in, "Not from you, not from any of them."

"You can't turn your back on the council" Wesley tried to exert some authority.

"They're in England" Buffy replied, "I don't think they can see which way my back is facing"

"Giles," Wesley appealed to the ex-watcher, "Talk to her"

"I don't have anything to say right now" Giles went to stand right beside both Buffy and Joyce.

"Time's up Wes" Joyce told him.

"Go back to your council and tell them that until the next slayer comes along they can close up shop" Buffy added, "I'm not working for them anymore"

"Don't you see what's happening?" Wesley asked them pleadingly, "Faith poisoned Angel to distract you, to keep you out of the Mayor's way, and it's working. You need a strategy"

"I have a strategy," Buffy told him, "You're not in it"

"This is mutiny," Wesley announced dramatically and Buffy paused in contemplation before smiling wryly.

"I like to think of it as Graduation" She looked at her Mom and Giles, "I can't stay here anymore. I need to find the others- see if I can help them. Will you watch him?"

"Of course honey" Joyce assured her.

"We'll call you if there's any change" Giles added.

"Buffy you don't know what you're doing" Wes tried again to take control and again failed.

"Get a job" Buffy told him in disgust before walking off. Wesley was left at a loss for words.

"I don't know how you can condone this" Wesley told the two adults.

"What did you expect Wesley?" Joyce asked in exasperation, "I'm not saying I approve of the relationship, way far from it in fact, but that's the love of her life in there and you're telling her just to let him die. How did you_ think_ she was going to take that?"

"She needs to understand-"

"No, it's you who needs to understand" Joyce interrupted him, "You can't just jump into people's lives like that and _expect_ them to follow orders. She's not just a slayer-she's an 18 year old girl, a human being. She can't just switch off her feelings like that and do what you say." Wesley stood resolute as he refused to come round to her way of thinking, believing the council's way to be the right and only way. Joyce shook her head in complete disgust. "Just got back to England Wesley and just don't…just don't come back" She walked off into Angel's room to check on him and Wesley looked at Giles. Giles didn't say anything, but merely shook his head at Wesley silently before following Joyce into Angel's room and Wesley was left stood alone.


	13. Graduation Part Two

Zigpal- Thank you very much for the review and your confidence with my Parker dealings. I'm trying to deal with it from two angles at the same time and it kinda took me a while to clear up my ideas on it. hehe.

g120-Coincidink there about what you said about character development because actally for what I've planned it does go more into that in season 4 since Buffy is off to college the characters have more time to assess themselves you see. So great minds think alike eh? (And by coincidence so do we haha) Of course their character development will link back to the monsterama somehow, if sometimes loosely, but still you get what I mean...

Also in season 4 Giles and Joyce's relationship will become a lot more serious and well the episodes although for a lot of the time won't change the storyline, the way they occur and how the group works will be effected by the G/J relationship and the G/J relationship will be effected by the events that occur in the group...so...expect the unexpected. hehe. My biggest plan though is for 'A New Man'. The idea's a bit dark but I like it ;-D.

* * *

And that's season three finished. Phew. 93 pages! I wrote more than I thought I would. Hope you like and remember review! Review! Review! Hehe. Starting writing season 4 now so, The Freshman should be up soon under a totally new story 'Cocorific Season 4' (Yes I know, where was my imagination vacating when I came up with _that_ title?) so, erm, watch this space! Haha.

* * *

Giles came out of his office massaging his right shoulder, which ached from being bent over researching for so long. At the same time Xander walked in carrying a Styrofoam cup of coffee while Joyce just sat at the library table looking worried.

"Any word from Buffy?" Xander asked and Joyce shook her head.

"No" She looked at the two guys, "I can't believe you let her go. I leave the library for one minute and you send her off to…" She stopped talking, unable to carry on with where the sentence was going. She was angry, upset and worried all at the same time and she didn't know which emotion to go with. Her anger was heavily directed at Giles and she could literally just tear into him for letting her daughter go after Faith like that. He was an adult and while Faith had done some awful things, he should have known better than to let Buffy go to stoop to the same level. Upset because of what her daughter was going through. So much so soon. And how much must she have been hurting to be willing to kill another human being to save Angel? Perhaps she had underestimated Buffy and Angel's love if it could survive all they had been through. Still, she could deny the fact she was glad Angel would be leaving. It was safer that way. For Buffy, for Angel, for everyone. Worry was a feelings she'd come to bear constantly sicne finding out Buffy was the slayer. Worry when she came home late, worry when she went out to fight evil, worry when she had to research, worry when Angel was back in her life, worry about Faith, worry about Willow, Xander, Cord...worry, worry, worry. It was all she seemed to do and it was tiring her out.

Xander sighed as he looked at Joyce, wishing he could say something to help but knowing there wasn't anything to be said. It was just like the previous summer, when Buffy had ran away. He had tried to comfort Joyce then. Heading over to her house almost as many times as Giles did. He'd said the right things, explained things no one else had bothered to, but it still hadn't been enough to help as the only that thing that would have helped was her daughter returning safely home. It was the same now. He handed the cup to Giles.

"Here is your cup of coffee. Brewed from the finest Colombian lighter fluid" He and Giles both sat down at the table and Giles took a sip of his coffee with a grimace.

"Horrible"

"Knew you'd come round to our way of thinking" Joyce joked feebly.

"Yeah" Xander agreed, "You're ruining a perfectly good stereotype here."

"Tea is soothing" Giles explained, "I wish to be tense"

"I'm tense without the caffeine thanks," Joyce told them, "I just wish she'd call"

"Well, the uh, best thing to do is to focus on something else, the research" Giles advised, handing her a book. "Both of you look the, erm, Kepler volumes. Any reference to the demon Olvukan. Powers, weaknesses, hat size, anything. There's _got _to be something"

"Still batting zero?" Xander mocked, but at Giles' look covered his tracks, "Of course I mean in cricket"

The three had just buried their heads into the assigned books when Cordelia burst into the library looking extremely upset or rather…angry.

"What's the matter Cordelia?" Joyce asked, concerned.

"Yeah, what's the up?" Xander asked less kindly.

"I demand an explanation" She told him.

"For what?"

"Wesley"

"Uh…inbreeding?" Xander guessed and Joyce, who had just taken a sip of Giles' coffee choked on her laughter and the all looked over at her.

"Sorry" She apologized with a slight smirk as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Yeah, so very funny" Cordelia commented looking very unimpressed, "Any minute I am sure to laugh. I just got off the phone with him. He could hardly speak he was so upset. He said there was something about a fight? And he is leaving the country"

"Should I assay remorse?" Giles asked.

"Or maybe a 'goodbye' banner" Joyce offered.

"Just tell me what's going on" Cordelia asked as for once in her life she sounded genuinely concerned.

"Buffy has quit the council" Giles explained, "She'll not be working with Wesley from now on."

"But he's her watcher" Cordelia argued in puzzlement.

"Well, if she ever needs one, she's got one" Joyce said, glancing Giles' way.

"Well, does he have to leave the country?" Cordelia asked, "I mean you got fired and you still hang around like a big loser, why can't he?"

"Hey!" Joyce confronted the teen on the 'loser' comment.

"Cordelia" Xander interrupted the two women throwing each other looks, "We are trying to stop a massacre. Want to give us a hand?" Cordelia shrugged.

"Sure" Cordelia took a seat beside them all at the table, "This is _such_ a Buffy thing to do. She is _always_ thinking of herself"

"And yet again," Joyce spoke up, "Hey!"

Just as the group fell into silence as they lost themselves in their desperate research the phone began to ring. They all looked at each other as though assuming someone knew who it was. It was Joyce who got up first and ran over to the phone praying it would be her daughter.

"Angel?" She asked when she heard the voice on the phone and she waited expectantly for news of her daughter, but what she heard wasn't good at all. "We'll be right there," She told him before hanging up. She glanced back at the others who were all watching her expectantly. "It's Buffy" She explained, her voice breaking a little, "She's in the hospital" She put a hand to her mouth in worry as Giles ran over to hold her and she watched in amazement at how fast Xander moved to head out of the library and in ten seconds they were already near the parking lot and setting off to the hospital. Cordelia stayed in the library and shouted after them

"I'll just stay here and keep researching!"

* * *

Angel crouched down in worry outside Buffy's room just waiting for her to wake up. He looked up as he saw Willow, Oz, Xander, Giles and Joyce walk in through the end of the hallway and he stood up to meet them.

"Where is she? Is she okay? What happened?" Joyce a series of questions at once and Angel only answered two of them.

"She's just through there and she's fine. She's asleep"

"Well you seem alright too" Oz commented with a puzzled frown and Angel looked uncomfortable.

"Yeah" He didn't deny it.

"What happened?" Xander repeated Joyce's unanswered question.

"When we left her she was fine" Willow told everyone, "Did Faith…?"

"Faith's out of the picture" Angel updated them; "Buffy put her in a coma"

"Oh my god" Joyce breathed. She knew how bad Faith was, but to put her in a coma seemed…inhuman.

"And?" Xander prompted and Angel sighed.

"Buffy cured me…made me…"

"You fed off her" Giles finished and Joyce looked outraged.

"You? What? How could you? After-" Giles put a hand on her shoulder and calmed her down.

"How much?" He asked.

"She's gonna be fine" was Angel said in answer.

"You'd better hope to god she is" Joyce warned him before walking past to head over to the nurses and asking them to let her see her only daughter.

"She's not gonna be a vampire?" Willow asked worried and Angel shook his head.

"No she didn't feed off me"

Xander shook his head in complete disgust at the vampire.

"Well, it's good to know that when the chips are down and things look grim you'll feed off the girl who _loves_ you to save your own _ass_!"

Joyce walked back over to the group.

"They said two people can go in and see her at any one time" She looked at Giles, "I can't go in alone. I just can't" Giles walked over to her, to head into the room along side her, but he took a moment to look back at Angel.

"You'd better go Angel. We'll watch over her"

"I don't want to" Angel argued pathetically but Giles didn't relent.

"The sun will be up soon" He turned back to Joyce, "Come on."

* * *

"It's just she's my little girl and I just can't bear to see her like this" Joyce said as she and Giles sat beside Buffy who lay on the bed comatose.

"She's the slayer" Giles reasoned, "And not only that she's a strong person herself, a fighter, she'll get through this"

Joyce went to say something either in argument or in agreement, she hadn't yet decided, when Buffy eyes suddenly opened wide.

"Oh Buffy you're okay!" Joyce exclaimed while Giles got up to get the nurse.

"Mom…where's…. we need the others" Buffy said, suddenly coherent as she sat up straight.

"No, you need to see a nurse" Joyce insisted.

"No Mom, we don't have time" Buffy argued firmly, "We've got to stop the Mayor" She explained just as Giles walked back over to tell them the nurse would be there in a minute.

"We still haven't quite figured out how Buffy"

"I have a plan" Buffy told him simply, but explained no further as the nurse arrived.

* * *

Everyone was waiting impatiently in the corridor, as Buffy got ready.

"And she's really okay?" Xander asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"She's perfectly fine" Joyce repeated her answer, "I'm just so relieved"

Relieved enough, Xander saw, that she hadn't let go of Giles once as the two kept holding each other-her more tightly than him.

"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed as Buffy finally walked down the corridor.

"Are you okay?"

"How do you feel?"

"You're sure you're okay?"

"Is Angel here?" Buffy asked, not answering any of the obvious questions.

"He had to go" Oz told her, "It got kinda sunny"

"Get him" Buffy ordered, "Get everyone"

"Buffy, you are sure you're alright?" Giles asked and Buffy nodded.

"I'm ready"

"Ready for what?" Joyce asked confused- her daughter wasn't making any sense.

"War" Was all Buffy said.

* * *

"So am I crazy?" Buffy asked as she sat in a chair in the library facing the others.

"I don't think I'd go so far as 'crazy'…" Joyce debated.

"Yeah, crazy is such a _strong_ word." Willow agreed.

"Maybe a little nuts…" Joyce carried on.

"But let's not rule 'crazy' out though" Giles reasoned as he chewed on his glasses.

"You don't think it can be done?"

"I didn't say that" Giles argued, "I might…but not yet."

"I personally don't think it's possible to come up with a crazier plan" Cordelia admitted and Oz attempted to prove her wrong.

"We attack the Mayor with humus"

"I stand corrected," Cordelia admitted, but not gladly.

"Just trying to keep things in perspective" Oz told her.

"If a little oddly and…randomly" Joyce added. She found a lot of Buffy's friends to be extremely random and oddly humorous at times when they were facing a huge potential world-ending crisis. She was amazed at how they dealt with the things they did, themselves being no more than eighteen, and even though only one of them was her child, she felt proud of each and everyone of them.

"Thank you" Cordelia said sarcastically, "My point however is, crazy or not, it's pretty much the only plan. Besides, it's Buffy's- and she's slay gal. You know little-miss-likes-to-fight so…"

"Was that a yes?" Joyce asked, shaking her head, "I get so confused with Cordelia"

"Hey" Cordelia said to her, offended.

"Yeah, that was a 'yay Buff' vote in there somewhere" Xander explained.

"Well, I'm going to need every single one of you on board." Buffy told them all honestly, "Especially you Xander. You're sort of the key figure here"

"Key? Me?" He took a deep breath, "Okay pride. Humility. And here is the mind numbing fear"

"I'm sure you'll do great" Joyce told him supportively, "You never do anything but your best"

"Okay," Xander said, feeling a little more confident, "What do I have to do?"

"Do you remember any of your military training from when you became soldier guy?" Buffy asked and Joyce turned to Giles in puzzlement.

"Military guy?" She whispered.

"Uh, Xander and many others, became their Halloween costumes two years ago" Giles explained.

"And Xander dressed as…. a solider?" She asked and he nodded. "Oh god, what did Buffy dress as? Or was she okay?"

"Buffy became a formal lady of the 1700s" Giles explained straightforwardly and he tuned back in to the other conversation while Joyce thought on what he had just said.

"Faith told me to play on his human weaknesses" Buffy was explaining.

"Did I miss something?" Giles frowned, "Did you say _Faith_ told you?"

"Yeah"

"Before or after you put her in a coma?" Willow joked, but frowned in confusion at Oz when Buffy answered 'after'.

"His weakness" Giles repeated.

"Right" Buffy agreed.

"Which is…?" Giles prompted.

"You know I do all this planning" Buffy pointed out, "I'm in charge here even though I am really not at my best…"

"Well, let's, ah, think then" Giles suggested and everyone lapsed into silence.

"Buffy, you were turned into an 18th century Duchess?" Joyce broke into the silence, sounding and looking very confused.

"Not _exactly_ what we were meant to be thinking about Mom, but, uh, thanks for trying"

Oz looked over at Angel.

"Angel, you hung out with him the most. Is there something he's afraid of?"

"Well, he's not crazy about germs"

"Of course that's it!" Cordy exclaimed, "We attack him with germs!"

"Great!" Buffy said sounding very sarcastic, "We'll corner him and then you can sneeze on him"

"And you were the one who mocked hummus?" Joyce asked with a raised eyebrow and decided to tune out as Cordelia started rambling about Ebola virus. At 'chase him' Joyce sighed and raised a hand, "Who's for the hummus offensive?" She asked and Giles nodded in mock agreement.

"Well it seems to be attaining more merits by the minute"

"He'll never see it coming" Oz agreed.

Suddenly Angel spoke up with the first genuinely good idea.

"Faith. At the hospital he was grieving. Seriously crazed" Everyone looked at him as though this was nothing new, "It wasn't just in a homicidal I-wanna-be-a-demon way. She's his weak link"

At that point Wesley walked into the library receiving dirty looks from everyone except Cordelia.

"What are you doing here?" Joyce asked her tone of voice and body language revealing her to be anything but happy to see him. Buffy turned around to see who her Mom was talking to and frowned unimpressed when she saw who it was.

"You haven't an enormous amount of time," He told them all sombrely.

"Yeah, we got that states-the-obvious" Xander mocked him as Buffy turned back away from Wesley.

"The council is not welcome here," She said, without looking at him, "I have no time for orders. If I need someone to scream like a woman I'll give you a call"

"Now leave" Giles ordered, but Wesley, for once, stood his ground.

"I'm not here for the council. Just tell me how I can help"

"That is so classy!" Cordelia whispered and when everyone frowned at her she questioned them, "Isn't he so classy?"

"It's a start," Buffy admitted.

"So there is something I can do?" Wesley asked, "Besides scream like a woman…"

"There is plenty" Buffy told him without feeling, "There are chores for everyone. So this is it. Giles, Mom-start researching more into this ascension thing. We need as much information as possible. Xander-start working the battle strategy. Will?"

"Me and Oz will be on explosive duty"

"Cordelia…and Wesley." Cordelia smiled when Buffy revealed her and Wesley to be teamed up "Do the research thing as well. More on the ascension if you find it, but find more on the demon. We have some information, but I don't want any surprises"

After a while everyone was working rhythmically to get through what needed to be done.

"It'd be better if we had Angel to back us up as well" Buffy hypothesized, "With Xander fighting from the one side and Angel leading a group from the other, they'd be surrounded."

"It's midday though, it's pretty much going to make me the useless pile of dust" Angel said truthfully and Buffy sighed as suddenly Wesley spoke up.

"Aha! I think we may have found a way around that" He told them before reading the sentence aloud, "Darkness will follow and day becomes night"

"An eclipse" Buffy concluded.

"But there's none scheduled. How can…" Joyce said.

"Apparently it's standard procedure for an Ascension" Wesley explained

"Well it puts me back in the game so it's an upside either way" Angel said and Buffy nodded in agreement.

"Yeah it does. You and Xander are going to have to work together now. Can you do that?"

"Buffy they're both adults" Joyce reasoned just as Xander asked 'I'm still key-guy right?'. Joyce sighed, "Never mind" She said, before returning back to what she was doing.

"You're still key guy Xander" Buffy assured her friend and he smiled.

"Then Angel, in his non-key-guy capacity can work with me."

"What fun" Angel commented sarcastically.

"Hey!" Xander told him, "Key guy still talking"

"Oh that's great" Buffy was extremely sarcastic when she spoke. "Start bickering. That's going to work great for us. You guys are like little old ladies"

She headed over to Oz and Willow who working through some books non-demon related.

"So how are we coming on Volcano detail?"

"I think we can work it out," Oz answered honestly.

"Fun with chemistry" Willow joked.

"Xander told me he should be able to get the materials"

"But who's going to stoke it up?" Oz asked and Buffy turned to Giles who was stood behind them with her Mom.

"You feel up to it?" She asked.

"Ah, I suppose it should be I. It's strangely fitting in a grotesque fashion" He admitted, "Though I have to say I'm not quite sure-" He was interrupted as Joyce kissed him on the lips lightly. "Okay, uh, well, I'm sure" He told them.

"Aww, that's so sweet. Isn't that sweet?" Willow asked and then saw Buffy looking at her evenly, "So, Giles is setting it off then? With the…yep."

"Okay guys, start reaching out" Buffy told them before looking at Giles, "Giles-weapons, weapons, weapons." She went to leave.

"Buffy where are you going?" Joyce asked.

"There's something I have to get" Buffy explained, not stopping.

* * *

"Well it's all ready" Giles said as the bomb was set up and he and Joyce were sat outside just away from the library.

"So what do we do now?" Joyce asked, looking up a moment at the clear blue skies.

"Well, uh, wait I suppose"

"Ah-waiting." Joyce nodded, "Does waiting mean we have to stay still and…focused?" She asked carefully, but just as he was about to answer the blue skies started to fade as everywhere was cast into darkness from the sudden eclipse.

"Yes, well, I think now that it does" Giles told her.

"Show time" Joyce murmured and then winced as she heard the screams from around the other side of the school, "D'you suppose they'll be okay?"

He debated whether to lie or to answer at all.

"I don't know" He told her honestly and she rested her head on him and tried to focus on his arms wrapped comfortingly around her rather than listening to the sound of the horrors occurring on the other side of the school.

Suddenly as the noises and screams from outside increased in volume, the couple could hear a crashing sound coming from inside the building and both sat up straight as they listened to the sound.

"Buffy" Joyce murmured just as her daughter came smashing through the library window and landed on the floor next to them neatly. Giles pushed down the plunger and as the bombs were detonated the whole school exploded and Joyce immediately covered her daughter to protect her while Giles instantly covered her. The three didn't dare look back at the scene till the sounds of explosions had stopped and all that could be heard was the sound of fire crackling and people's cries of surprise and the sound of fire engines and ambulances shockingly already on their way.

* * *

"Well I hope Buffy and her friends are out partying at the Bronze more than they've partied before" Joyce said, "They've earned it"

"They certainly have" Giles agreed.

They were at the Summers' house and were sat close together on the living room sofa. The TV was on in the background but it's volume was so low the two barely registered it was on.

"I think my High School graduation was quieter," Joyce thought aloud and Giles smirked, "Although, oddly enough I remember more happening…" She shrugged the thought aside as she cuddled up closer to him. Joyce wanted to talk more but she was so completely exhausted still from the events of the day before and since Giles wasn't talking either, she assumed he felt the same way. She would just close her eyes for a moment.

* * *

Buffy found herself finally reaching the end of her slay-high as she arrived home from the after-graduation celebration party at the Bronze with her friends. The only thing that stopped the night from being completely perfect was Angel not being there. He had left just as he said he would and Buffy was never going to see him again. She couldn't believe how much it hurt and although it would take time she had to teach herself to move on. 'Seize the day…life is short', hadn't that always been her motto?

She pushed open the door and although the lights were on she couldn't hear anyone moving about.

"Mom?" She called out just to check and received no answer. She went to head upstairs to bed, but turned to switch the living room light on first and saw on the sofa her Mom and Giles curled up together sleeping peacefully. Buffy was surprised to find herself smiling at the scene. Maybe Willow was right-it was sweet. At times anyway. Buffy couldn't deny that the scene in front of her was very sweet. She creeped up the stairs opting to turn off neither the light nor the silent TV in the worry that it would wake them. Okay, so maybe at first and for a while their relationship had given her a wiggins, but she thought that for the first time she was actually accepting it without getting subconsciously freaked. Graduation. Maybe graduation meant she was finally adult enough to see the couple downstairs not just as her Mom and Giles but also simply as two adults who didn't deserve to be alone and that they made each other happy.

Next step: college. Buffy thought back to her Mother insisting on getting involved with the Mayor's Ascension (oh yeah, kicked _his_ ass. Or rather detonated a bomb…) and so inadvertently graduation. She hoped her Mom wasn't going to insist similarly when she was in college...

* * *


End file.
